Need a SUPER Snack/app to Bring to Friends "Christmas" Dinner...

Tomato, Basil, Mozzerella can be done several different ways.

The smallish balls, cherry tomatoes, and basil leaves on skewers

Smallish balls, cherry tomatoes, pesto, stirred together in a salad

Large balls (sliced), with sliced tomatoes (big ones), and basil leaves on lightly toasted baguette

Baguette, pesto, sliced cherry tomatoes, pecorino romano... all under a broiler for a moment

7 course meal?
I wouldn't bring an appetizer.
Maybe bring a nice bottle of wine or a good vodka, etc.
More like a hostess gift--ornament, candy, etc.

I wouldn't bring anything either (food wise) without the wife's knowledge. You know she is the one doing this and a 7 course dinner is a big deal. If you know her well, call her and ask. Otherwise....

I would bring a nice bottle of wine. They can decide to open it or not.

I would bring a nice bottle of wine for the host/hostess & be done with it. Like Julie said, 7 course dinners are pretty well planned out & you bringing an appetizer of any type could throw her whole vibe off.

Here is a link to a very tasty and sophisticated walnut blue cheese ball:

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/date-walnut-blue-cheese-b...

Although, I think I agree with the others that I probably wouldn't want to bring something without asking. Maybe you could get an assortment or bagels, scones and cream cheese they could have the next morning? I'm sure she'll be tired after such an elaborate event, and it would be a nice gesture. You could put it in a pretty holiday basket.

If you want a really tasty cheese ball for your own holiday dinner, though... this recipe is AWESOME!

My BFF makes this cheesy beefy dip that I can't stop eating, and it's so easy. Brown 1 lb group beef, drain grease, put it in your crock pot. Add 1 can diced tomatoes with diced green chili's and one can of yellow cheese dip, serve with tostidos :) Takes all of 5 minutes to make, and I promise you won't be bringing any home!

Tortilla rollups are addictive! They can sit out for hours and be fine to keep munching on.

1pkg burrito size flour tortillas
1 4oz can chopped green chilies
1 4oz can chopped black olives
1pkg cream cheese
8oz sour cream
2 cups cheddar cheese
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup chopped green onion

Mix together, spread on tortillas and roll them up. Cut 1" size pieces.
Can provide salsa as a dip for extra "umph", although they're great on their own.

This is a staple for me at all holiday gatherings, and they always completely disappear!

So the wife probably doesn't know anything about this?

Since it is a 7 course dinner, I am sure it will be very well planned out. I'd either call the wife or just bring them a gift, something homemade they can enjoy later.

I honestly hate it when people bring appetizers without asking. I plan it all out, and I HATE seeing food get thrown out because there is just too much.

If you really feel like you need to bring something, how about fruit on screwers with a dip or something like that? I like to bring marinaded shrimp, but chances are, they will have shrimp.

A friend recently brought home made salted caramels to a party I had. She individually wrapped them - they were a perfect little something that guests could have after dessert with their coffee or could just take one home. I think she also would have been just fine if I had said thank you, I love them and will hoard them all to myself (of course offering her one before hiding them in the pantry for later).

I don't like when people bring appetizers - they rarely fit the 'mood' of the meal precisely. I much prefer if someone brings a bottle of wine.

Agree about not bringing something without first asking the host. If she says yes, what about brie and crescent rolls with crackers? There are a bunch of different options online - I'm making one with raspberries for my parents 'appetizers only' Christmas party.

If she says thanks but no thanks, flowers or wine is always nice. Or both!

How about Tuxedo Strawberries. They are my favorite and everyone stops and stares at them and you get tons of compliments.

You'll need strawberries, it says to use the long stemmed ones but I always buy the tubs of regular ones.
Some white chocolate dipping squares
Some brown chocolate dipping squares
A Piece of wax paper or a baggie to use for making tiny dots for the buttons on the front of the Tux.

Cover your table with wax paper for the strawberries to sit on while they set up.

Melt the white in one bowl, melt the brown in a different bowl, I always follow the directions exactly. I have to reheat it occasionally to keep it smooth and a bit runny.

Take strawberries, clean ones, and dip them in the white, at least half way up, wipe the bottom off a bit to keep it from pooling on the wax paper as it cools. Set it on the wax paper to cool and set up.

Once the white is set take the white dipped strawberry and lay it on it's side, at an angle, and dip it into the brown. It makes 1/2 of the front of the jacket. Let it drip for a moment. Then twist it and do the other side. It should make a deep V for the front of the tuxedo jacket. See the pictures in the link below.

Once they have set up take a wax paper square and roll it up to look like a funnel or use a freezer baggie and snip a tiny, tiny hole in the corner. Put some of the brown chocolate in it and then use the wax paper on the table to draw a few bow ties and make tiny dots for the buttons. Once you have that down you are good to go! Each one can be individual and if you mess one up...eat it. Just don't eat too many or you'll have to start over...we can usually make a couple hundred in a couple of hours if there are two of us working together. I dip and she draws.

How to make a cone to decorate like a pastry bag. Our hole must be tiny tiny tiny.
http://www.howdini.com/howdini-video-###-###-####.html

Images of tuxedo strawberries.

Notice some have big puddles under them, some have the bow tie filled in, some have it open. It is totally your choice how to present them. I prefer to wipe them across the rim of the bowl just a tiny bit to remove some of the excess so they don't have such a big splat.

http://www.google.com/search?q=tuxedo+strawberries&hl...

Take the blue cheese bacon dip on myrecipes.com! It's a Southern Living recipe, and it's awesome! Use fresh pecans in it! It's a wonderful crowd pleaser and has a decadent holiday feel. It travels well and will work fine if you bake it/warm it in your oven and transport in a carrier or cooler to keep it warm.

Mini skewers alternating grapes and cubes of cheese. Light and easy. =)

I agree with the people that said not to bring an app since it's a 7 course meal...def bring a hostess gift of candy, wine, flowers, etc.

I agree that if the wife doesn't know I wouldn't bring food. You could do a bottle of wine as long as you are sure they drink (my old boss was Mormon and we had someone make the mistake of bringing wine to their house and my parents are Southern Baptist and don't have any alcohol in the house either). Another suggestion is just a hostess gift for her/her family. Homemade candy or spiced nuts are nice and can be eaten later, if you know her style an ornament is a nice gift, if she likes to cook you could do an infused oil (http://homecooking.about.com/od/condimentrecipes/r/blcon3...) or something similar. I've also taken a loaf of homemade bread or muffins and some nice coffee so they have something for the next morning when she doesn't feel like cooking after the huge dinner the night before. I think I'd lean more toward a gift that thanks her for her effort than something that might compete with the food she's worked so hard to make.