Re: Why does sugar (non-polar solute?) dissolve in water (polar solvent)?

I think you might be confusing "non-polar" with "non-ionic."  Sucrose does
not ionize in solution, but it is still polar.

Also, sucrose has hydroxyl groups all over it, which can form hydrogen-
bonds with the water.

Remember that "like dissolves like" is only a generalization, and that
there are a lot of factors that can affect a compound's solubility.
Oxygen (O2) is non-polar, but it has some solubility in water -- again,
hydrogen bonding comes to its aid.  Bromine (Br2) will dissolve in
water, even though it is non-polar, because it has an "induced dipole."
The electron cloud that surrounds it is rather fluid, and for an 
instant, it can sort of push over onto one of the atoms, so the molecule
is briefly "Br+ Br-".

Look for these two affects when predicting solubility of an organic
compound.  Also look for functional groups that are polar.  Para-dinitro-
benzene is non-polar, but each of the nitro groups is itself polar.
A carbonyl group is polar, and can have an effect even if the whole 
molecule itself is "non-polar".