Ingredients:

• 1 cup of diced celery
• 1 cup diced onions
• 1 cup of chopped cabbage
• 2 cloves of garlic, grated or pressed
• 1 tbsp of butter (for sautéing onions and celery)
• 8 cups water, beef broth or chicken broth
• 1 can diced tomatoes (home or commercially canned)
• 2 or 3 medium to large sized peeled beets (half grated and half diced)
• 1 or 2 medium carrots, grated
• 1 medium potato, diced
• 1/2 cup of fresh dill weed
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Optional ingredients: Bay leaf, green beans, peas, beet greens and shredded pork or pork sausage

Instructions:

1. Sauté the onions, celery and cabbage with the butter until soft and translucent.
2. Add the can of diced tomatoes and the garlic, as well as all of the water or broth.
3. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, then reduce to medium heat and let simmer.
4. Peel the beets, carrots and potato.
5. Dice half the beets and grate the other half.
6. Grate all the carrots.
7. Dice the potato.
8. Add the beets, carrots and potato to the broth. If you would like to add any other optional vegetables (ie. beans, peas, beet greens, etc.) do so now.
9. Allow soup to simmer on medium until diced beets and potatoes are soft (test them with a fork or by biting into them!), about 15 minutes. Remove soup from heat.
10. Stir in chopped fresh dill weed and salt and black pepper.
11. Serve hot with a dollop of sour cream and a slice of bread and butter (rye bread is best!)

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Image Source:*melissaknorris.com

Source:melissaknorris.com