Smoked Gouda Macaroni and Cheese: Attempt #2

I am just realizing this is my second mac and cheese of the day. Oh well. This is grown up. I've made this once before and it did not come out right. I thought I'd try again because it's one of my husband's favorites when we go out to eat and he's had a rough day. I'll post the recipe first then walk you through what I did....

Recipe Summary:
Smoked Gouda Cheese Macaroni
Recipe from Everyday Is A Party Cookbook, by Emeril Lagasse, with Marcelle Bienvenu and Felicia Willett, published by William Morrow, 1999
Ingredients
6 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 pound ditalini or small elbow macaroni
2 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons bleached all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups milk
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
1/4 pound smoked Gouda cheese, grated
Parsley
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Put the water, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and the oil in a large, heavy saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 8 minutes. In a small, heavy saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Slowly add the milk, whisking constantly. Add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and the white pepper and continue whisking until the sauce is smooth and thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 8 minutes. Remove the white sauce from the heat and stir in the cheese. Continue stirring until the cheese melts. Lightly grease a 6 1/2 by 10-inch casserole dish with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon butter. Combine the cheese sauce and macaroni in a large mixing bowl and mix well. Pour into the prepared casserole and bake until lightly golden on top, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve hot. Garnish with parsley.

The restaurant we get this from uses penne so I am using penne. I am also using only 1/2 pound because last time I felt it wasn't cheesy enough, and it's easier (and cheaper) for me to use less pasta then to add more cheese sauce. It's only 5pm and I have a few hours but Gabi is sleeping now, so I'm cooking now. I shoo everyone else out the kitchen and luckily TV occupies them.

So, I get out my ingredients. I had cooked a pound of penne a few days ago and kept in my fridge so I don't have to cook pasta. Yay! I start grating the cheese and just when my arms start hurting, I'm done. The restaurant also has what I think is pancetta in their mac and cheese but I have not found that any where so I'm using bacon. I didn't add it last time and missed it. I've actually never cooked bacon before, so I stick it on a hot pan and start making the sauce. Here's where I messed up last time. I melt the butter and add flour like they say in the recipe, and I add the milk slowly but I cannot get the sauce to thicken. It's thicker than milk, but not at all like sauce. I am having deja vu. The bacon keeps spitting at my face while I hover over my saucepan. Last time, I thought, "maybe it's supposed to be this way" and added the cheese but this time I am going to get the white sauce (a.k.a. bechamel sauce) right! I get another small pot going with another tbs each of butter and flour, repeating the process and I just add some of the milky sauce I have to the smaller pot and when that is thick I add it back to the original saucepan. Now it looks like sauce! So I remove from heat and add cheese. I add my cooked pasta and chopped up bacon and think it looks cheesier than last time. I add bread crumbs for some extra dazzle. After 20 mins, it's not golden brown. After 25 mins, it's not golden brown but I'm afraid I'll burn it. It cools and I try it. Disappointment! Still not cheesy enough. I now think I just have to add more cheese. (Makes sense, yes?) It's good enough for tonight, but I will have to try again to master this recipe! Feel free to post any tips!