© 2026 ABC News

One recipe from \"Bring It!\" that I love is for ginger beef. The dish features an easy-to-serve steak with an exciting sauce you'd want to eat for days at any temperature. This recipe can also easily be made ahead, which is an added bonus of recipes that don’t need to be heated up. Get the full recipe here.

\"PHOTO:
Noah Fecks
PHOTO: Ali Rosen, the author of the new cookbook "Bring It!: Tried and True Recipes for Potlucks and Casual Entertaining," shares her recipe for ginger beef dish that's great hot or cold.
>

Color and texture are key to a vibrant table

With a lot of different dishes heading to the table, you want to make sure each one stands out from the crowd. And since many will be (hopefully) at room temperature, you want to give them excitement in other ways. Color variety adds vibrancy to a table of disparate items and textures ensure that every dish stands apart.

Do you ever discover a job so cool you think it possibly can’t be real? That’s how I felt when I learned about prop styling. The littlest spoon or vessel can totally change the look of a photo, and when you have dishes that aren’t as pretty the props can make all the difference. I didn’t understand how important that was until @kristihunter came to work on #BringItBook. She brought boxes and boxes of interesting items that she has sourced over years. She always knew exactly what to put out to pull everything together. Prop wizard is more like it. . This book is truly a team effort and can’t wait for you all to see it!

A post shared by Ali Rosen (@ali_rosen) on Feb 16, 2018 at 1:26pm PST

My shaved carrot salad completely skips greens for the crunch of carrots that you shave with a vegetable peeler and ingredients like pomegranate and sesame seeds. Get the full recipe here.

\"PHOTO:
Noah Fecks
PHOTO: Ali Rosen, the author of the new cookbook "Bring It!: Tried and True Recipes for Potlucks and Casual Entertaining," shares her recipe for a shaved carrot salad with pomegranate and sesame seeds.
>

Bring dishes that can be easily served no matter the setting

Great potlucks make dining as easy as possible. Get rid of any recipes that are hard to divide among guests or couldn’t be eaten standing up with a plate in one hand and a fork in the other.

Avoid meats that need a lot of cutting or pastas with heavy sauces. You want to make trying each dish as simple as possible.

And the same goes for desserts. Items like my s’mores bars can be easily cut and ready for guests to pick up with their hands and even without a plate, ensuring that no one gets slowed down or the meal has to feel too formal. It also tends to make cleanup a whole lot quicker. Get the full recipe here.

\"PHOTO:
Noah Fecks
PHOTO: Ali Rosen, the author of the new cookbook "Bring It!: Tried and True Recipes for Potlucks and Casual Entertaining," shares her recipe for smore's bars that you can make two days ahead.
>

Do you have favorite potluck dishes and tips to throwing the perfect party? Share your favorites in our new GMA Facebook Community Group.

","canonicalUrl":"https://abcnews.com/GMA/Food/girls-night-dinner-upgrade/story?id=54365118","legacySlug":"/food/story/girls-night-dinner-upgrade-54365118","noIndexNoFollow":false},"publishTime":"08:02","publishDate":"04-19-2018","updatedTime":"17:29","updatedDate":"04-19-2018","socialImage":{"alt":"Your girls' night dinner just got an upgrade. ","credit":"Ali Rosen/Instagram","ratio":"16x9","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/Lifestyle/ali-rosen-dinner-party-ht-mem-180418_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg","width":992,"height":558},"datePublished":"4/19/2018 08:02:00 GMT","video":{"live":false,"id":54365118,"headline":"Your girls' night dinner just got an upgrade","mediaAssetTitle":"GMA_POTLUCK_PARTY_RECIPES_180410","description":"Dinner party-worthy dishes for the perfect Saturday night in.","duration":"13:07","posterImg":{"url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","width":608,"height":342},"video":{"feed":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2016/05/160505_gostream_dinnerparty_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8"},"playlist":["135219568","135145820","134977845"]},"relatedItems":[{"contentType":"video","date":"July 30, 2026","headline":"US launches new retaliatory strikes on Iran after attack on US forces","section":"News","slug":"/video/135219568","id":"135219568","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: US launches new retaliatory strikes on Iran after attack on US forces","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260730_gma_scott_iran3_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: US launches new retaliatory strikes on Iran after attack on US forces","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260730_gma_scott_iran3_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260730_gma_scott_iran3_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260730_gma_scott_iran3_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260730_gma_scott_iran3_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260730_gma_scott_iran3_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260730_gma_scott_iran3_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260730_gma_scott_iran3_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260730_gma_scott_iran3_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260730_gma_scott_iran3_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"July 28, 2026","headline":"Tornadoes touch down as severe storms sweep East","section":"News","slug":"/video/135145820","id":"135145820","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Tornadoes touch down as severe storms sweep East","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260728_gma_perez_tornadoes2_703_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Tornadoes touch down as severe storms sweep East","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260728_gma_perez_tornadoes2_703_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260728_gma_perez_tornadoes2_703_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260728_gma_perez_tornadoes2_703_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260728_gma_perez_tornadoes2_703_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260728_gma_perez_tornadoes2_703_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260728_gma_perez_tornadoes2_703_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260728_gma_perez_tornadoes2_703_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260728_gma_perez_tornadoes2_703_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260728_gma_perez_tornadoes2_703_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"July 22, 2026","headline":"Malcolm-Jamal Warner's widow sues his mother after drowning death","section":"News","slug":"/video/134977845","id":"134977845","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Malcolm-Jamal Warner's widow sues his mother after drowning death","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260722_gma_norwood_warner1_734_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Malcolm-Jamal Warner's widow sues his mother after drowning death","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260722_gma_norwood_warner1_734_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260722_gma_norwood_warner1_734_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260722_gma_norwood_warner1_734_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260722_gma_norwood_warner1_734_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260722_gma_norwood_warner1_734_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260722_gma_norwood_warner1_734_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260722_gma_norwood_warner1_734_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260722_gma_norwood_warner1_734_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260722_gma_norwood_warner1_734_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}}],"relatedContentSection":"news","schemaContent":{"name":"Your girls' night dinner just got an upgrade","description":"Dinner party-worthy dishes for the perfect Saturday night in.","duration":"13:07","uploadDate":"04-19-2018","publication":"04-19-2018","images":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","url":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2016/05/160505_gostream_dinnerparty_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","contentUrl":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2016/05/160505_gostream_dinnerparty_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","link":"https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/food/story/girls-night-dinner-upgrade-54365118"}},"playlist":[{"id":"135320517","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"135319709","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"135222489","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"135236246","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"135259626","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"135189298","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"135195168","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134926667","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"135120534","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134959102","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134910526","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134846473","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134848966","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134761751","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134787741","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134782596","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134741027","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134751717","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134708317","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134548164","contentType":"story","section":"news"}],"kvps":{"pgtyp":"article","lang":"en","sp":"goodmorningamerica","programmatic":"true","bundleId":"com.abcnews"}},"analytics":{"accountID":"wdgnewwdgnewgmaweb","ns":"gma","pageName":"gma:food:video","pageType":"video","globalSpecVersion":"v1.08","siteDifferentiator":"gma:site","tagID":"g_page01","userABCookie":"0","section":"food","title":"Your girls' night dinner just got an upgrade","pubTime":"04:02","pubDate":"04-19-2018","modTime":"13:29","modDate":"04-19-2018","taxonomyTags":"none","id":54365118,"editorialOtherSubjects":"","wordCount":"none","columns":"none","authors":"","authorsUnit":"none","authorsBureau":"none","subBrand":"Good Morning America","provider":"Good Morning America","videoName":"Your girls' night dinner just got an upgrade","mediaAssetTitle":"GMA_POTLUCK_PARTY_RECIPES_180410","videoId":54365118,"mediaOnPage":"video","legacySlug":"/food/story/girls-night-dinner-upgrade-54365118"},"taboola":{}},"request":{"headers":{},"httpVersion":"1.1","method":"GET","url":"/video/54365118","vary":{"host":"www.goodmorningamerica.com","cached":true,"path":"/video/54365118","forwarded-proto":"https","device":"desktop","userab":"0"}},"viewport":{"width":1260,"height":0},"user":{}};