Fanny s Italian Casserole

1 pound ground beef

1 yellow onion, diced

2 (26 ounce) jars tomato, onion, and garlic spaghetti sauce (such as Prego®)

1 tablespoon dried basil

1 large bay leaf

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon celery salt

1 (16 ounce) package elbow macaroni

1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup

½ cup water

2 ¼ cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided

Place the hamburger into a large saucepan over medium heat, and cook and stir the meat until no longer pink, breaking the meat up into crumbles as it cooks, about 10 minutes. Stir in the onion and continue to cook and stir until the onion is translucent, about 5 more minutes. Drain grease from the pan, and stir in the 2 jars of sauce, basil, bay leaf, oregano, and celery salt. Reduce heat, and simmer the sauce for 1 hour. Remove from heat.

About 15 minutes before the sauce is finished simmering, fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the macaroni, and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain well in a colander set in the sink.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Whisk together the mushroom soup and water in a bowl until smooth.

Layer 1/3 of the meat sauce into the bottom of the prepared baking dish, and spread half of the cooked macaroni over the sauce. Spoon half the soup mixture over the macaroni, and spread 1 cup of shredded Cheddar cheese. Repeat the layers with 1/3 of the remaining sauce, the remaining pasta, the remaining soup mix, and 1 more cup of Cheddar cheese. Spread the last third of the meat sauce over the casserole, and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup of Cheddar cheese. Spray a piece of aluminum foil with cooking spray, and cover the dish with the foil.

Bake the casserole in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake until the cheese topping is browned and the casserole is bubbling, about 15 more minutes.