A simple creamy dill dip made with a mix of cream cheese and Greek yoghurt and served with honey mustard roasted new potatoes makes the easiest of canapes for your next party.

The wine is stacked up in the fridge, your guests have all texted to say how excited they are and your outfit is pressed and ready.  So what do you feed everyone at your drinks party without feeling stressed and overworked?

Drinks parties with lots of canapés may sound scary and I would initially agree but with a few easy to prepare dishes alongside some acceptable ready-made cheats, it really isn’t that hard work.  Preparation is key to a successful party to ensure you are a happy smiley host rather than one that is constantly mentally eye rolling and stuck in the kitchen getting huffy puffy.

Party lighting is essential to create the mood and needn’t be expensive: tea lights placed in mismatched second-hand sundae dishes dotted about and fairy lights festooned off every curtain pole or shelf always make everyone’s eyes sparkle.

Proper glassware rather than disposable plastic glasses makes all the difference.  So buying a couple of extra sets never goes a miss.  These can be safely stored away in boxes and brought out for every party and family gathering.  I used Rinkit’s Estilo wine glasses for their elegant long steams and flat ergonomic elegant cups.

An opening cocktail on arrival is always welcome and then swiftly move on to wine or soft drinks as cocktails, although lovely, take up a lot of your time unless you have a designated Mixologist then I’d say go for it (within reasonable limits).

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Easy Party Menu

• Ready-made hummus enhanced with pomegranate seeds and toasted pine nuts
• Devils on Horseback – prunes wrapped in bacon
• Small plates of ready-made meatballs
• Roasted new potatoes with a dill sauce – recipe below
• Cumin roasted cauliflower florets
• Selection of mixed marinated olives

You can add crisps/chips and other snacks that require nothing more than opening of packets and pouring into bowls, topping up when necessary.  This way your oven won’t be over used and allow you to enjoy the party.

You can find a wealth of cocktails here:

• FOUR EASY GIN COCKTAILS
• MARMALADE MARTINI

Creamy Dill Dip with Honey Mustard Roasted New Potatoes

For the Dip:
300g cream cheese (full fat)
250ml Greek yoghurt
½ clove garlic, grated
2 teaspoon dried dill
Small bunch fresh parsley, finely chopped
Generous grinding of sea salt and black pepper

For the Dipping Potatoes:
1kg new potatoes
2 teaspoon oil
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper

Mix together the oil, honey and mustard and pour over the new potatoes.

Give a generous seasoning and stir to ensure every potato is covered.

Roast uncovered for 30-35 minutes until soft inside and starting to brown.  Should the potatoes become too brown due to the honey, then cover with foil and continue to cook until soft when stabbed with a knife.

Meanwhile, make the dip.

Place cream cheese and yoghurt in a large bowl and mix together either by hand or with an electric hand mixer, then add the garlic, dill and parsley until thoroughly combined.

Add seasoning to taste and set aside in the fridge until needed.

Should you wish to stretch out the potatoes, simply cut in half once cooked or mix up with half cut and half left whole.

Disclaimer: This is a collaborative post.