Standard Russian/Ukranian soup, based on my dad's recipe. Takes about 2 hours to make, but it's not difficult - just a lot of chopping. I'm usually not very precise with the amount of each ingredient, so I'll give ranges rather than precise numbers. Careful with the beet - it'll make everything red.

Ingredients:
Beef - 2-3 lb
Beet - 1 (standard-potato-sized)
Potatoes - 2-3
Carrots - 3 (medium carrots)
Onion
Red bell pepper
Cabbage - about 3 potatoes' worth
Tomato paste - half a can
Dry dill weed - teaspoon? tablespoon?
Salt, pepper, oil

Instructions:
There are three things to do - make a broth, chop the ingredients, and make a зажарка (zazharka). Then you combine everything to make the soup.

1. Wash the meat off beforehand so you get a clear broth.
2. Put it in a big pot with about 2 liters of water a tablespoon of salt and some black pepper, and boil.
3. Meanwhile, peel the beet, potatoes and carrots (for the latter, I scrape the skin off with a knife).
4. On a small grate, grate a third of the carrots, beet, and bell pepper.
5. Cut up the remaining beet, potatoes, carrots and bell pepper into bite-size pieces (about 1/2 an inch).
6. Chop up the onion, and fry up in some oil until it starts to get golden.
7. Continuing to fry on high heat, add the grated ingredients, dill, and a good bit of black pepper, then the tomato paste. This should give you a thick paste. If it's too dry, add oil.
8. Set the зажарка aside.
9.Get the meat out (it should be cooked by now, at least half an hour boiling) and set aside.
10. Add the potatoes to the broth and boil for 10 minutes. Then add the beets and carrots. In another 15 minutes add the bell pepper.
11. Slice the cabbage into very long and thin strands and add that to the mix.
12. After 5-10 minutes, add the зажарка and mix it in.
13. Cut the meat into bite-size pieces and add to the soup.
14. Taste for salt and pepper. I usually add quite a lot at this point.
15. Enjoy with sour cream and bread. Note: my борщ is usually better the next day.