Smoked Gouda Macaroni and Cheese

Firstly, preheat your oven to the desired temperature of 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Next, lightly coat a casserole dish with cooking spray to prevent food from sticking.

While the oven is warming up, fill a large pot with salted water and bring it to a rolling boil. Add shell pasta to the boiling water and cook, stirring occasionally, until it reaches your desired level of doneness, approximately 9 minutes.

Simultaneously, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Gradually whisk in flour to create a smooth paste, then continue cooking for 2-4 minutes. Subsequently, whisk in milk, salt, and pepper to form a sauce. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until it reaches your desired consistency, around 5-10 minutes.

Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and transfer it to a large mixing bowl. Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta and mix until everything is fully incorporated.

Transfer the pasta mixture to your prepared casserole dish. Finally, bake in the preheated oven until heated through and ready to serve, approximately 15 minutes.