FOR THE SMOKED GOUDA CHEESE SAUCE:

1. In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.
2. When butter is melted, whisk in flour to form a roux. Cook for 30 seconds or so to cook out the raw flour taste.
3. Slowly add milk to roux, whisking constantly to work out any lumps.
4. Whisk Dijon mustard into sauce.
5. Cook sauce, whisking occasionally, for 8-10 minutes until sauce has thickened. (This is a great time to prep the rest of the recipe ingredients!)
6. When sauce has thickened, turn off the heat and stir in shredded smoked gouda cheese. Stir until cheese has melted, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Set sauce aside.

TO ASSEMBLE LOADED TATER TOTS:

1. Cook bacon until crispy (I like to roast my bacon, but you could also cook it on the stovetop). Let bacon strips cool for a few minutes, then crumble them into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
2. Cook tater tots according to package or recipe directions until they're VERY crispy.
3. Transfer crispy tater tots to a serving dish and drizzle about 1/2 of the cheese sauce over the top. Reserve the remaining cheese sauce to serve on the side of the tots!
4. Top cheesy tots with bacon pieces and chopped green onion. Season with another pinch of salt and pepper if desired and serve immediately.