Brown ground beef and drain.

In a large bowl, mix together meat, sauce, cottage cheese, and water. Add basil, Italian seasoning, and garlic to taste (approx 1/2 tsp each).

In a greased 9x13 pan, pour 1 cup sauce to cover the pan. Then start the layers: arrange 3 noodles, then about 1 1/2 C sauce, and top with about 1/2 C cheese. Repeat two more times, using all the remaining cheese on the top.

Bake, covered with foil, at 375 for one hour. Remove from oven and let sit 15-25 minutes before serving.