Father’s Day should be special, but that doesn’t mean that it has to be a lot of work.
Keep things simple but impress your father by cooking up a dinner with Hamburger Helper and breaking out a bottle of scotch. Below, we offer some pairing suggestions for different flavors of Hamburger Helper–whether it’s a straight dram or a scotch cocktail, these easy options will make that Father’s Day dinner even tastier.
Penicillin Scotch Cocktail with Asian Helpers
If you’re looking to give your meal a little Asian flair with a Helper like Mongolian-Style Beef or Chicken Fried Rice, serve it with a classic scotch cocktail that incorporates a little ginger liqueur, which will go nicely with those Asian flavors.
The Penicillin cocktail uses two ounces of your favorite scotch (Jonnie Walker Black is a good option), a half ounce of a really smoky scotch like Laphroaig, the juice from half of lemon and a half ounce of a ginger liqueur like Domaine de Canton. Mix that up and pour it over a couple of ice cubes and you’re set. If you want to be really fancy, garnish your drink with some candied ginger.
Creamy Stroganoff with J&B Scotch
When you’re cooking up a dish using the classic Stroganoff variety, you’re going to need something that pairs with that creamy, white sauce. J&B Rare is a moderately priced label with a lighter bite than many Scotch whisky on the market. The middle-of-the-road, dry flavor will go nicely with this dinner. Like the Jonnie Walker, you can drink this one straight up with a few cubes of ice.
Old Fashioned Italian Favorites
Say dad wants to keep things inspired by Italy on his special day with a Hamburger Helper flavor like Lasagna or Spaghetti. Pair these tomato-infused flavors with a classic old fashioned scotch cocktail with some fruit to go well with those Italian herbs and spices. To make this basic drink, put some cherries and oranges in a glass and mash them up with a muddler. Then, mix in three ounces of your favorite scotch label (preferably one that’s not too fruity) and throw a bit of sugar in for good measure. Shake it up, pour it over some fresh ice cubes, and serve.
Cheeseburger Macaroni with Johnnie Walker Black
If you’re going to cook up a meal using a classic version of Hamburger Helper, you should pair it with one of the most classic scotch labels available: Johnnie Walker Black. JW Black is affordable and not too smoky–there are actually sweet hints of caramel and maple syrup that go well with the cheesy mix. Just pour yourself a glass, throw a few ice cubes in and you’re all set.
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