Prawn and Corn Cakes: These are amazingly delicious. They are so simple to make, and a true crowd pleaser. I have been making these for years, I make them for most of my parties and they are gone so quickly. I always double the recipe as I know they will be eaten. For parties I like to make them smallish as it makes them easier to eat as finger food. 

Tomato and Basil Bruschetta: Another family favourite, I actually make this all the time, party or no party as my daughter loves it. This is simple to make and is so light and fresh, a perfect bite to have with drinks. 

Spinach and Ricotta Rolls: These are great at parties, not only because they are simple to make and taste amazing, but they can be made in advance, frozen and pulled out to bake when needed. But you know what if you don't have freezer space they are quick to make on the day. This is something I always have in the freezer.

Taramasalata Bites: I love these, they look great, they taste great and everything is made for you, there is no cooking involved here, you just assemble three store bought ingredients minutes before you need them. This is great canape to offload to a guest that asks "can I help", you show them how to make one and then they make the rest for you.

Mussels in a Vinaigrette Dressing: This is a new recipe and has yet to make the party scene at my house. This one is my husband's creation and it is delicious. You can either barbecue or cook the mussels on the stove top. Then once they've opened you add the dressing and you get the most delicious mussel ever. This is one of my favourite things to eat.

Oysters the Way I Love Them: This is another recipe from my husband. I love oysters natural, however, by adding a few simple fresh ingredients to oysters, they become amazing oysters. I can never stop at one here. This is perfect for me with a glass of sparkling wine.

Chicken Liver Pate: I love pate, every mouthful is creamy, smooth, delicious and amazing. This is one of those things you put on the table with some crusty bread and some cornichons and you just watch your guests keep going back for more. This is another one of my favourite things to eat.

Salmon Rillettes: I keep repeating myself, but here is another canape that I love. It is so moreish, once you start it, you keep going back for more. I would serve this at a party with drinks and just watch your guests go for it.

Fresh Guacamole: The easiest most delicious dip on the planet for me. This is made in minutes, tastes great and everyone loves it. Serve it with vegetable sticks if you prefer, but I like it with corn chips, some of guests like it with bread. Sometimes I don't add the tomatoes, but most times I do, as I love the tomatoes in it.

Gyoza (Pot Stickers): Oh the Gyoza, this is truly the ultimate finger food. These are so packed full of flavour and so moorish, watch your guests get excited by this one. Now they look difficult, but after you get the knack of making them, they become very easy to make. Now I have yet to do so, but these can be made in advance and frozen, so they are perfect for parties. These are simple, these are delicious and this is something you really need to try.

Artichoke Spinach Dip: This dip is delicious. Super easy to make and my whole family absolutely loves it. You can prepare it in advance, then bake just before serving, so it is a great party dip.

Smoked Salmon and Caper Pizzas: I love smoked salmon and when you team it with ricotta and horseradish cream you get one perfect little bite. This is a great canape and is very easy to make.

Crumbed Prawns: This is my families version of party food. I have been to so many parties growing up where crumbed prawns were served, it is staple in our party scene. They are great for parties as they are bite size, crisp and delicious.

Smoked Salmon Pancake Rolls: These are amazing, one of my favourite things to eat. A hit whenever I make them. They are delicate and delicious, you can never stop at one and the best thing you make them day before which makes things easier on party day.

Buffalo Wings: These buffalo wings are delicious, very easy to make and are a real crowd pleaser. They are baked not fried.  For parties this is truly simple, quick to make, party food. And served with sour and cream and sweet chilli sauce, I absolutely loved it. And partries are always better when there are chicken wings served.

Zucchini Slice: This is delicious, this is moreish, I cannot stop at one slice after I make this. My husband loves it, my kids love it, my mother loves it, I just don't know anyone who has tried it that doesn't love it. And it's so easy to make. this is perfect bite size party food.

Now these next two are not finger food or canapes, but I like to serve at the beginning of a party. As I serve small plates with finger food and canapes anyway, you just make sure you have a few forks available when you serve these.

Cabbage and Prawn Salad: This is a lovely salad, it looks festive and tastes great with very little effort. It adds a little freshness to the table. This is something I grew up on, my mum made it all the time,  and now I have continued making it for my own family and friends. If my mum is at the party, she's in charge of this one.

Octopus and Potato Salad: Another one of my mum's great salads that she taught me how to make. I recently served this at my last party and it was loved by everyone. My mum has taught me how to make the most tender octopus, it melts in your mouth, now I am happy to share this with you.

So there you have it, my favourite finger food and canape recipes. It is not in any order, they are just my go to recipes when I'm planning a party, it is food my family and friends love. 

​It was the Queen's birthday long weekend, and my husband said he would go to the meat wholesalers to get some meat for dinner and for the next few days. He asked what to buy, I just told him what he felt like once he got there. Well he came home with lamb shanks, great choice, as that is what I felt like, and now to find a recipe.

I wanted something that was slow cooked, preferably oven baked and something saucy. I remembered years ago I made this recipe, so I thought I'd revisit it and see if we still love it. Well we did.

The meat was soft, falling off the bone, delicious. The sauce was rich and delicious. The polenta a perfect accompaniment. 

The reason I love oven bake stews is that once you do the initial prep work, you place it in the oven and you don't have to do anything else. Well here after one hour you just remove the lid and turn the shanks over, that's it. 

In this recipe the shanks are not completely submerged in the liquid, so they get a little roasted feel to the outer skin which is magnificent. That is why you turn the meat after one hour, to ensure all the meat gets submerged in the stew during the cooking process. 

This would be a great dinner party recipe as it is quick to assemble, then all the cooking is done in the oven while you hang out with your guests. The hardest part is the polenta. I call my teenage kids into the kitchen for this and we take turns stirring it, as it is an arm workout.

​The original recipe used dried beans, this is what you would do if using dried beans
 
½ cup (100g) dried haricot or cannellini beans
½ cup (100g) dried borlotti beans
 
Place beans in large bowl, cover with water, stand overnight. Rinse under cold water; drain. Place beans in medium saucepan, cover with boiling water; bring to the boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, about 15 minutes or until beans are just tender. Drain. Then proceed with recipe.

This is so easy to make and the end result not only looks amazing, it tastes amazing.

Recipe adapted from The Australian Women's Weekly Cookbook 'Stews'

Serves 6
 
400g tin cannellini beans
400g tin borlotti beans
6-8 (2kg) french-trimmed lamb shanks
2 tablespoons plain flour
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large (200g) brown onion, chopped coarsely
1 medium (120g) carrot, chopped coarsely
1 trimmed (100g) celery stalk, chopped coarsely
1 fresh long red chilli, chopped finely
8 drained anchovies in oil, chopped
¼ cup (60ml) balsamic vinegar
425g can crushed tomatoes
½ cup (125ml) dry white wine
1 cup (250ml) water
1/3 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped

​​​Soft Polenta
 
3 cups (750ml) water
2 cups (500ml) vegetable stock
2 cups (340g) polenta
1 cup (250ml) milk
¼ cup (20g) finely grated parmesan cheese
​
Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan forced.
 
Toss lamb in flour; shake away excess. Heat oil in large flameproof casserole dish; cook lamb, in batches, until browned.
 
Cook onion, carrot, celery, chilli and anchovies in same dish, stirring, 5 minutes or until onion softens.
 
Return lamb to dish with beans, vinegar, undrained tomatoes, wine and the water; bring to the boil. Cook ragu, covered, in oven 1 hour. Uncover; turn the shanks over, cook a further 1 hour or until meat is almost falling off the bone. 
​
Make the polenta once the lamb is cooked, the lamb can be left in the oven while you do this:

​Combine the water and stock in large saucepan; bring to the boil.
 
Gradually add polenta to liquid, stirring constantly. Reduce heat; simmer, stirring, about 10 minutes or until polenta thickens.
 
Add milk and cheese; stir until cheese melts.

Serve the lamb shanks and ragu over the soft polenta. Sprinkle over parsley just before serving. 

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​Here is a recipe from my husband. On a recent trip to the Sydney fish markets, he came home with some mussels. He found a recipe that he wanted to try, something different to the tomato based sauce ones we usually make.

These were delicious, the mussels were so plump and the vinaigrette dressing added this delicious tangy taste to them, you just can't stop going back for more.

Now he barbecues the mussels, but I have added a stove top method, just in case you prefer that method.

Now I am always on the look out for new ideas to serve at my parties and these would be great as an appetizer for a larger number of guests, as the recipe is easily doubled or tripled, it's perfect finger food.

You can serve these warm straight away or you can refrigerate them one hour before serving them.

Looking for a new party idea, try this, it will not disappoint.

Recipe adapted from https://www.bite.co.nz

Serves 4-6 as a starter

5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
5 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 red chilli, seeded, if preferred, finely chopped
4 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley
Salt & freshly ground pepper,to taste
1 kg mussels
​​
Make the dressing by whisking together the oil and vinegar. Stir in the shallot, garlic, chilli and parsley, then season.
​
Clean the mussels by scrubbing the shells and pulling out any beards.

Barbecue method: Heat a barbecue to hot, then place mussels on barbecue and cook until they open, turn them over every now and then. As they open, remove from heat, and remove and discard one side of the shell. 
​
Stove top method: If you don't want to barbecue the mussels, you can cook them on the stove top, you will need 1/2 cup white wine here 

After you have cleaned the mussels put them in a saucepan. Add the white wine, bring to a boil then cover and cook for approximately 3 minutes or until the shells open. Drain and let cool slightly so you can open up the shells.

To serve: Arrange the mussels in the half shells on a platter, whisk the dressing again then spoon over the mussels.

To save the recipe to your favourites go to https://www.whatscookingella.com/mussels-in-a-vinaigrette-dressing.html 
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​If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment below or take a photo and tag me on Instagram or Twitter with #whatscookingella