A hot soup to end a long and cold day...

Mitä kuuluu? Kiitos hyää.  Entä sulle? Ei mitään erikoista.

(How are you? I'm well thank you. And you? Nothing special)

But it was really cold this morning and it's not even winter yet.

This day was really long and to think it's only the start of the week.

So when I got 'home', I opened a can of ice cold beer while preparing dinner... creamy vegetable macaroni soup.

And I have a new discovery! Single bulb or elephant garlic.  I've never seen it before. It is apparently not a true garlic but a cousin of leek.
 
Anyway, I sauteed the garlic, 1/4 of a big white onion chopped, until translucent and fragrant.  I then added 1 cup of dried macaroni, stirred it into the garlic-onion mixture, added 3 cups of water and allowed to boil.

When the water started boiling, I turned the heat low and added chopped potatoes about 1 medium size or the size of an Asian fist :-p.  Adjusted the heat to high until it has returned to boiling and then turned it low again.

When the pasta and potatoes are half-cooked, I added 1 cup of mixed veggies (carrots, peas, red peppers, corn), about a cup of diced tofu (I used the marinated one that tasted like sausage.  I bought it from the organic shop in the city center, and I'm still trying all the available varieties), and a veg stock cube.  I added more water from time to time to prevent the mixture from drying out.

When the vegetables and pasta are cooked, I seasoned it with salt, black pepper, and some dried herbs.  To finish, I added one cup of fresh milk, and a tablespoon of butter.  I think it could serve 2-3 persons but I just had the last of it. 

Se oli herkullista (It was delicious!!!)