If you don't have crushed tomatoes, you can substitute tomato sauce for the crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. As long as you have a tomato base, you are good to go.
You can substitute diced tomatoes for the crushed.
Don't want to use beef? Make it with ground turkey or chicken, or even a blend!
Elbow macaroni is fine but I like to make mine with mini shells, Cavatappi, or rotini. I do like pasta with lots of nooks and crannies for the sauce and ground meat to hide in and cling to.
Substitute Italian seasoning for the individual spices listed. If you have bay leaves, use them in addition to the spice mix.
Toss in additional veggies if you want more.