I love my iPod, but I also adored cassette tapes.

Problem now is that some of my absolute favorite mixtapes, which contain songs I do not own in digital form, are not aging very well and I’m afraid to play them lest the tape give out altogether.

I picked up a cassette to MP3 converter over 2 years ago, but it does not work on a Mac and I am too lazy to pull out my old Dell and figure out how to do the conversions.

Then I saw an ad from a local guy who was setting up a side business to do cassette to MP3 conversions.

I spoke with him and you know what??? He charges $25 per cassette.

Did he have any idea of just how many cassettes I own? Basically, it would cost a complete and utter fortune for me to have someone do the conversions for me.

So, I guess I had better open that converter and get to it. Maybe one or two tapes a day? For the next 2 years? :)

I think I would much rather dig into some pasta and veggies.

I prepared this menu a few weeks ago when the vegetable garden was in full swing and I had broccoli and beans overflowing in large buckets.

The Fettuccine is one of the best recipes I have tried in ages. That garlic butter mixed with the shiitakes is so good.

I loved the simplicity of the broccoli. Just a splash of oyster sauce to heighten its fresh perfection.

The buttery crunchy green beans with the crunchy pecans is such a compliment to the fettuccine. So many interesting flavors all on one plate. It is a really fun dinner.

Fettuccine With Shiitake And Garlic Butter

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons butter
8 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
8 ounces fettuccine
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon green onion, sliced

Directions:

1. Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. When foam subsides, stir in the mushrooms. Sauté, stirring, over medium heat until mushrooms are tender and lightly browned, about 10 minutes.

2. Add the garlic; sauté 1 minute. Stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

3. Meanwhile, cook the fettuccini according to package directions until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain.

4. Toss the fettuccini with the mushroom mixture, 2 tablespoons of remaining butter and the lemon juice. Top with green onion.

Serves 4

Recipe from 365 Ways To Cook Pasta by Marie Simmons

Green Beans With Pecans

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds green beans
3 Tbs butter, melted
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
1 cup pecans

Directions:

1. Blanch the green beans in boiling salted water.

2. While beans are cooking, melt the butter and add salt, pepper and parsley. Stir to mix.

3. Drain beans, sprinkle with pecans then pour butter mixture over the beans. Toss well.

Serves 4 to 6

Recipe from The Silver Palate Cookbook

Broccoli With Oyster Sauce

Ingredients:

1 head broccoli (1 1/2 pounds), cut into long florets
Oyster sauce

Directions:

1. Steam broccoli on the stove top or in microwave until crisp tender, about 5 minutes.

2. Drizzle with oyster sauce to taste.

Serves 4

I love this jerky, quirky little tune. The drums are so cool, it is as if they join in on the chorus.

Check out Portage on Bandcamp, where you can also buy their music.

Cheers!