"Famous" Spaghetti Sauce"

1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can (16 ounces) whole tomatoes
1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 bay leaf (remove before serving)
1/2 teaspoon basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon oregano leaves
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
cooked spaghetti noodles (or other pasta if you prefer) for serving

          Brown beef and onions in large pot or skillet.  Drain off the fat.  Add the other ingredients (except pasta).  Bring to a boil.  Turn heat down, cover, and simmer for 1 hour.  Uncover and cook for 20 minutes more.  Serve with cooked pasta and parmesan cheese.

Tim's Notes:  I also add green bell pepper, drained sliced olives, 2-3 cloves of minced garlic, a generous sprinkle of nutmeg, and 8-9 fresh mushrooms, sliced.  Mushrooms should be added the last 20 minutes of cooking.  You could also substitute any other color of bell pepper for the green bell, or substitute ground turkey for the beef.  You could add fresh basil or fresh oregano.  And by now, most of you  know I don't like big chunks of tomatoes.  You can substitute diced tomatoes for the whole tomatoes.  I use diced tomatoes, but whirl them up in the food processor before adding.  You could also use garlic powder or granulated garlic if you don't have fresh on hand.