Vanilla Roasted Peaches with Raspberries

Leave it to Martha Stewart to come through in a pinch.  There I was.  On the verge of a breakdown.  You know, because I didn't feel like taking on the task of mastering homemade gluten-free pie crust in order to conjure up a peach pie.  Peaches.  They just might be my favorite summer fruit.  Or at least my favorite at this very moment.

Anyway. I've gotten back on the wagon of cooking at home since the the Chef went back to work and my favorite neighborhood sushi joint (that was always packed!) closed down.  This has been the summer of extreme change:  me not working much, Chef back to working a lot, Grayce passing away unexpectedly -- doesn't sound like much, but when the day-to-day routine has been altered to even this extent a simple thing like rolling up to the local sushi place and seeing the windows papered over causes a jolt to the system.  A lump in the throat.  Something else I can't go back to.  Gotta keep moving forward.

In the spirit of doing just that I decided to seize the summer day and indulge in a doable peach dessert that wouldn't have me experimenting with flour mixtures by the light of the silvery moon.  I happened upon Martha's peach desserts and hit the jackpot.  This recipe took less than an hour start to finish, and was the perfect follow up to a grilled turkey, bacon, avocado burger.  May summer never end.

Ingredients--*I halved this recipe as reflected in the pictures.

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise and scraped, or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 4 firm, ripe peaches (1 to 1 1/2 pounds total), halved and pitted
• 1 pint vanilla ice cream
• 1 package (5 to 6 ounces) raspberries

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large, shallow baking dish, combine butter, lemon juice, sugar, and vanilla bean (seeds and pod). Add peaches, and turn to coat with butter mixture; arrange, cut side down, in a single layer.
   
   I hadn't used vanilla bean prior to today and it was so easy to work with.

   

   Here is a portion split lengthwise.  

   The recipe requires you to scrape out the inside of the bean, 

   then add scraping + bean to the butter, lemon, sugar mixture that will coat the peaches. 

   
2. Roast until peaches are tender and cooking liquid is syrupy, 15 to 25 minutes, brushing with cooking liquid halfway through. Serve peaches (warm or at room temperature) with ice cream and raspberries; drizzle with cooking liquid.
   

   

   

   Not the best lighting because this is how we do it at the bird:  real time.

   It was about 8pm, so light of the dining room table is what we've got here.

   
   

   The vanilla and lemon are subtle, yet just the perfect amount to get a hint of their flavor and enrich the taste of the roasted peaches and fresh raspberries.  This dessert would be great to share amongst a couple of people after dinner over coffee or tea.

   
   

   Thanks Martha!

   
   

   Oh and by the way:  I managed to escape watching The Bachelor Pad.  Victory is mine!