So, we then got an email from another coworker (who heard the conversation about exploding carrots) with a link to an explanation but we're not satified with that. That website said that things with skins exploded in the microwave. They're examples were potatoes with skins and eggs with shells but who cooks eggs with shells in the microwave?! So, that research was discarded!

I did Google on the subject, and found that some people cook them for about half and hour on really high heat, while others cook them really slowly on low heat. Some people add some sugar and a bit of chicken stock/water, while others use a TON of butter and nothing else. I'm confused!

1 1/3 lbs onions, chopped fairly finely
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Peel onions and thinly slice. Heat olive oil in large frying pan over low to medium-low heat. Add onions and fry until softened and lightly browned - this'll take a little while...I can't remember exactly. Between a half hour to 40 min or so. Pretty easy - just keep your eye on them. Add the balsamic, then salt and pepper to taste. Cook 5 min til lightly carmelized. Remove from heat, and there you have it!

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Originally posted by poppy:
Does anyone know how long a jar of tahini will stay good when stored in the fridge after being opened?

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Originally posted by Nieci:
I made ham & bean soup last night. The taste is perfect. I'm irate tho. Prior to adding the beans to the pot, I pureed about a quarter of them so the soup would be thicker. It's not. I tried cooking it down, but it was getting late and I had already put 2.5 hours into this soup! Cornstarch didn't help either.

I'm going to reheat the whole pot tonight. Any ideas?

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Add some mashed potatoes? I always thicken my soups my adding potatoes to the stock and pureeing them before adding the other ingredients. I guess you could add them afterwards for a similar result?

Cooking some pasta in your soup (if it doesn't seem too odd for your taste) would absorb part of the stock and make it thicker too. My minestrone always ends up WAY too thick because I forget about this phenomenon.

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Originally posted by minxx:
How do I make a good simple tomato sauce? I get angry with the store bought variety because they are so sweet (corn syrup plagues me!)

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You could use a base of tomato puree or diced tomatoes or the like, then add in spices (and puree if you're using diced tomatoes).

But, um, I left it in the car. Overnight. I realized this in the morning, and just now brought it into work and put it into the work fridge. The low was about 45 last night, I think. It was frozen to start.