Jewish Cuisine: Connecting History and Nutrition provides the best definition of “tzimmes.” 

"The literal translation of tzimmes is “tzim – for” and “esn- eating”, also translated as a sweet carrot dish. Interestingly enough, tzimmes is also a slang term for “a major issue made out of a minor event” – Don’t make such a tzimmes, perhaps due to the laborious task of peeling, slicing and mixing of the carrots." 

Gil Marks’s Ecyclopedia of Jewish Food defines Tzimmes as “a sweetened root vegetable stew that sometimes contains meat.” Marks also discusses that carrots were a rare, luxury vegetable prior to the 14th century including the transition from the pre-13th century violet carrot to the somewhat more flavorful 13th century yellow carrot. Carrots would therefore be a special addition to a Shabbat or Yom Tov dish. Carrots for Tzimmes were often sliced into rounds, i.e., coins, to represent financial success in the coming year in the Rosh Ha’Shanah Tzimmes.

It is a relatively simple sweet, but not cloying, dish of slow-boiled or steamed root vegetables with or without meat that has and had as many variations as there are cooks preparing it. It can be found on Jewish Sabbath and holiday tables across the globe and throughout the centuries. 

Jews love symbolism and believe it or not, Tzimmes is a very symbolic, if simple, dish.(Marks)

As stated above, Tzimmes is a simple sweet stew of root vegetables and fruit that sometimes contains meat.  It is slow-cooked so all the flavors blend throughout the dish and because of  the Jewish rabbinical interdiction against lighting fires or cooking on the Sabbath  (Exodus 35:3) which is discussed at great length in Medieval Jewish Civilization: An Encyclopedia. (Roth, p.153)

The Tzimmes recipe used is compiled from many different recipes utilizing the components likely available in the 13th century and excluding those that were not (eg, sweet potatoes, potatoes, orange carrots).

Ingredients

Carrots and Parsnips peeled and cut into coins Apple peeled and cut small

Prunes Honey, ½ cup 

Cinnamon, 1 tsp grated Cloves, 2

Nutmeg, dash grated ½ tsp ginger

Water to cover

Prepare all ingredients. Put in pot, cover pot and simmer over low heat until half cooked then bake overnight in a warm oven (175-200º F).  Alternatively, continue to simmer or bake in oven (~300-325º F) until tender (~ 2½-3 hours).