Day: July 23, 2025

Garten’s lemon vinaigrette recipe calls for four simple ingredients — freshly squeezed lemon juice, olive oil, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper.

Like Garten, I used a glass measuring cup to simplify the measuring and pouring process.

I replicated the recipe four times and whisked the ingredients together.

I poured half a cup of the dressing into a plastic bag with 2 pounds of salmon and shook it thoroughly to ensure the fish was evenly covered.

I then placed the salmon in the fridge for 30 minutes and preheated the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Later, I arranged the pieces of salmon on a baking sheet and roasted them for 30 to 35 minutes until they were lightly browned.

When I tasted it, the salmon was moist and perfectly flavored.

First, I washed and dried  1 ½-pounds of Broccolini and tossed it in a mixing bowl with a quarter of a cup of dressing. I arranged the seasoned Broccolini on a large baking sheet and put it in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

I roasted it for 25 minutes, but recommend keeping it in the oven longer if you prefer a crisper texture.

Once the Broccolini cooled, I sprinkled it with Maldon salt. The dish was super flavorful and had a tangy finish.

For the quinoa salad, I combined sliced red onions, hearts of palm, and cherry tomatoes in a bowl with a cup of cooked quinoa.

I drizzled a quarter of a cup of the lemon vinaigrette over the combined vegetables and quinoa.

Before serving, I let the salad chill in the fridge for 15 minutes to enhance the flavor. When I tasted it, the dish was incredibly light and fresh.

Finally, I decided to make the vinaigrette into a dipping sauce for sweet potato wedges.

I sliced four scallions, added them to one batch of the vinaigrette, and let the mixture sit for 30 minutes. This allowed time for the scallions to soak up the flavor.

While the scallions were soaking, I sliced two large sweet potatoes into 1-inch wedges.

I then placed the sweet potatoes in a mixing bowl, added olive oil and garlic salt, and mixed it all together.

After arranging the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet, I placed them in a 375-degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes.

Once cooled, I plated them with the scallion dipping sauce. My husband and kids devoured the entire plate in one sitting.

Out of the four different dishes I made using Garten’s lemon vinaigrette recipe, the scallion dipping sauce was my favorite.

My kids had a great time dipping their sweet potatoes in the sauce, which made dinner interactive and enjoyable.

I’ll definitely be making this vinaigrette again, as it’s the perfect dressing to enhance a dish.

Next time, I’m using it for spring rolls.

This story was originally published on January 25, 2024, and most recently updated on July 23, 2025.

When we visited in June, I packed lots of shorts, tank tops, and my brand-new Hokas.

However, I quickly realized that layers would have been much more ideal for the changing and sometimes unpredictable weather in northern Maine.

The days started off cool but then turned muggy, especially when working up a sweat hiking.

My sneakers weren’t optimal, either. After a few slips and near-falls on the park’s muddy grounds and wet rocks, my boyfriend and I both agreed that we should’ve stopped at the store downtown for a pair of real hiking shoes with better grip.

We arrived at Acadia National Park with a set itinerary, but we didn’t realize how many restaurants — and even activities — required reservations.

One of these activities was watching the sunrise at Cadillac Mountain, the highest point on the eastern seaboard. While eating dinner at a restaurant, our server explained that we’d need a vehicle reservation in order to drive to the mountain.

A quick Google search taught us that, unfortunately, there were no available slots to watch the sunrise during our three-day trip.

Luckily, we were able to book a time to see the sunset — but catching the sunrise at Cadillac Mountain will be a top priority on our next trip.

We hadn’t made a reservation to visit the historic Jordan Pond House, either. When we stopped by after a 3-mile hike, we were told we’d have to wait over an hour to be seated.

As much as we wanted to enjoy its iconic popovers and tea with a view of the pond and mountains, we just couldn’t wait to eat.

As first-time visitors, we hit many of Acadia’s famous, tourist-loved spots: Cadillac Mountain, Jordan Pond, Thunder Hole, Sand Beach, and Bar Island.

Although the views were stunning and well worth the hype, these places were all quite crowded, which made it tough to find parking.

When visiting the quieter Gorham Trail, however, we were able to soak in the nature around us. We only saw a few other hikers as we trekked to the summit.

Now that we’ve seen all the big names in Acadia, we decided that next time, we’ll try to find more secluded spots for picnics and more advanced hikes with fewer travelers.

Our biggest regret is not spending more time exploring the park and all of its beauty.

We saw and did a lot in three days, but there’s still more we’d like to explore next time, like Schoodic Peninsula and Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse.

Our national-park trip may have been spontaneous and out of my comfort zone, but it surprised me.

Despite our mishaps, regrets, and bona-fide tourist moments, my boyfriend and I have started talking about making it an annual trip — and luckily, we now know a lot about how to make our next visit smoother.