BEEF AND BACON CASSEROLE

I remember the first time I made this Beef and Bacon Casserole - a friend and I had young children and we decided to unite and cook a meal for our families. It seemed like a brilliant idea - we would get to socialize, our kids would have a play date, and it would all result in dinner.
However,  I'm not sure it was all that successful, we never did prepare a meal together again. We are both proficient, individual cooks, and I always find it challenging and laborious to cook in a kitchen that's not my own.

BEEF AND BACON CASSEROLE

1 pound of ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
6 ounces of fresh mushrooms, sliced
6 ounces of pasta, cooked and drained
1 can cream of mushroom soup
8 ounces of frozen peas
1/4 cup milk
salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 slices of bacon, cooked and chopped
1 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded, divided use

Heat oven to 325F.
In a large skillet, cook ground beef until no longer pink. Drain the fat. Add onions and mushrooms and cook until onions are wilted.
Add noodles, soup, peas and 1/4 cup of milk. Mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Cover and cook on medium low 5 to 10 minutes, stirring often. Add bacon and 1 cup cheese, stir to combine.
Pour mixture into a casserole dish. Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes.
In a small bowl, mix bread crumbs with butter, add remaining 1 cup of cheese and blend gently. Sprinkle on top of mixture in casserole dish. Return to oven and bake 10 minutes more or until breadcrumbs are golden brown and cheese is melted.
Enjoy!