More, More, More - the recipe

And now for something complete different .... (from eating out).
One of my favorite casserole recipes is named 'More', originally published in Sunset magazine decades ago. Due to its simple name I haven't been able to find it posted anywhere (technically which would be a copyright violation but, hey, Sunset doesn't publish cookbooks any more). Here's my modernized version:

More, More, More
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Ingredients
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1 lb ground beef, lean
4 slices bacon
1 small onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
12 oz dried pasta (broken up spaghetti or thick fideo)
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes
1 pkg (10 oz) frozen peas
1 red bell pepper, minced (or substitute a roasted poblano chile)
6 oz olives, pitted and chopped
2 c sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Preparation
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Fry the bacon slowly in a large saute pan to extract the fat, then remove to drain on paper towels.
Saute the pasta in the fat until browned, remove to a large pot of salted boiling water, cook until al dente, then drain thoroughly.
Meanwhile, saute the onion, garlic and bell pepper in the remaining fat until the vegetables are soft.
Add the salt, black pepper and crumble the beef into the pan and saute until browned.
Remove from the heat and let cool until barely warm.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Reserve half of the olives and cheese, then combine the rest of the ingredients and mix gently.
Fold into a greased 3 qt casserole dish, cover with the remaining olives and cheese, then bake for 20 minutes (or until the cheese is melted).

Serves 6 to 8.