I cry EVERY time I cut up an onion. And the worst part is not being able to rub your eyes, because there is onion juice all over your hands!! However, I was watching The Food Network this weekend (of course!)- and I saw the best tip! I tried it today and it really worked. (Up until the last few slices- but I think it was user error.)
So, onions have that hairy root tip that holds the whole thing together. I have always cut both ends off to make a flat surface to stand it up on, and then cut it in half and go from there (
because that's how Giada does it, duh!). But Chef Ann Burrell says that if you leave the knobby root attached to the onion, and cut it up like that it will not make you cry. Just slice the onion half all the way to the tip, then slice it through the middle, and then finish slicing it perpendicularly- is that a word? (
Makes it easier to handle, too.)
She didn't go into the food science behind it- I wish she had! I bet that's where all of the aromatics (
that's an actual organic chemistry thing- they happen to produce an "aroma" so that's their classification!) are- close to the root- so if you leave it in tact they don't leech out?
I will try this again next time I chop an onion- which will be soon. Onion goes in everything! By the way- use yellow onions instead of white; they have way more antioxidants!
Since we had no clue what we were doing, we just followed it religiously!!! Here are some pictures of the adventure thus far:
Casey building the boxes for the garden- the whole premise is that you don't even need to plant in the ground. In fact, it's better if you don't. The soil is not as good as "Mel's Mix." The book also lays everything out for you in terms of "square feet"- so you know how many per square foot of something that you can plant. 
Starting our compost! We've got a little more than this now; but it's going to be a good while before it's usable, I think.
"Mel's Mix"- the "soil" for the garden consisting of 1/3 compost, 1/3 peat moss, and 1/3 vermiculite. (This is pre-mixing, so all you can see is the vermiculite. Which we searched all day and all over Houston for on Saturday! It was not cheap; but what Mel says goes!)
The first transplant! This is romaine lettuce. Other things already planted are: peas, broccoli, parsley, oregano, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, onions, and a jalapeno (so random). Things planted, but not in the garden yet because we'll bring them in at night are: bell peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, and basil. Things not yet planted, but will be eventually: squash, carrots, and hopefully sweet potatoes, but I can't find them anywhere! We're also going to plant an avacado and lemon tree in the next few weekends. 
My little gardener beginning her own garden on the patio...
Obsessed with the red bell pepper sprout. When I planted it in its pot (it's too early to leave it outside at night), she was not a happy girl. 
I love this little Garden Girl!