Marsha's Four Cheese Lasagna

(makes enough to fill one large roaster pan or two 9x13 pans)
This recipe can be easily halved or quartered.

2 1/2 lbs of lean ground beef
one onion (chopped)
1 28 oz can tomato sauce (I use Hunt's) + maybe 2 cans of water
1 large can tomato paste
8 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
2 Tablespoons dried parsley
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon salt is optional
1 box lasagna noodles
1 pound mozzerella cheese - sliced or shredded
1 pound monterey jack cheese (plain, not pepper-jack), sliced or shredded
1 1/2 pounds small-curd cottage cheese
grated parmesan cheese

Sauce:
In a large dutch oven, brown beef with chopped onion, draining off grease.
Add tomato sauce, paste, water, bay leaves, oregano, basil, parsley, garlic powder and pepper.
Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, turn down the heat, cover, and simmer about one hour, stirring often.

Cook lasagna noodles according to directions on box for 'al dente' noodles.

Assemble lasagna as follows:
Sauce, noodles, cottage cheese, mozzerella, jack, and sprinkle generously with parmesan.
Finish off with a final layer of sauce, sprinkling parmesan on top.
If you have any mozzerella or jack left, you can use that on top as well.
You should be able to fit two layers in a 9x13 pan and more layers in a roaster pan.
Cover with foil.

Bake in preheated oven at 350 for 1 and 1/4 hours, or until cheese on top is completely melted and
casserole is bubbling all over. You can always cook it longer as needed.
If you want a drier lasagna, remove the foil half way through baking time

Allow to cool and set for 15 minutes or so.

Like most pasta dishes, this lasagna is even more delicious the second day! Enjoy.

Note: Regarding the salt. I leave salt out because the cheeses (when bought at Walmart) provide plenty of salt.
HOWEVER, if you use cheeses from Smith's, you might want to add little salt to the sauce before simmering.

Note: This sauce (without cheese or pasta) makes a yummy spaghetti sauce. Prepare for compliments!