If you have picky eaters, use a food processor or sharp knife to mince the sun dried tomatoes into tiny pieces before adding them to the pasta. This will make them blend in more easily with the sauce which will make them less noticeable to the kiddos.

Taste your noodles throughout the cooking process. Noodles can go from perfectly al dente to mushy and gummy in a quick minute. Be sure to snag a noodle here and there while you’re pasta is cooking so you can pull it off the heat as soon as the noodles are cooked through but still have a toothsome bite.

If your noodles are not cooked al dente yet but the sauce is reducing too much, feel free to add a splash of milk or cream throughout the cooking process. You’re looking for a thick, creamy sauce that really coats every nook and cranny of the noodle.

Keep in mind that the sauce will thicken a bit as it cools so you may need to add a splash of milk or cream even after the pasta has finished cooking just to keep things loose.

Season. Season. Season. With an ingredient list this short, salt and pepper will need to be used liberally to really elevate the simple flavors of this smoked Gouda mac and cheese.