When the days are short and the temps are low, many of us turn to classic comfort foods prepared at home.
These traditional recipes from Jewish Baltimore foodie Ilene Spector will warm your heart and fill your belly.

Buffet Meat Surprise
Ingredients
- 4 to 5 pounds boneless chuck roast (fairly lean, if possible)
- 30 to 40 ounces canned sauerkraut, drained (I use 30 ounces)
- 1 pound box dark brown sugar (brown sugar Splenda can be substituted)
- 28 ounces canned diced tomatoes with liquid
- 1 large whole onion, chopped, not diced
- 2 large Granny Smith apples, cut up, peeled, and cored
Instructions
- Place meat in a very large roasting pan on top of stove or a big crock pot, 5-6 quarts).
- Dump the drained sauerkraut on top of the meat. On top of that, empty the box of sugar. Next the tomatoes and liquid. Place the onion and apple pieces around the meat. (I keep the meat on the bottom and kind of mix everything else around and on top of it, opening the pot after half the time to mix again and break the meat up into pieces).
- Cook in a crock pot on low for 4-5 hours or high for 3-4 hours. You can also cover and cook in the oven at 350 degrees or on stove on low-medium. The meat needs a few hours of cooking to shred and combine with other flavors, so check and stir occasionally whichever heat you choose. Cook until the meat falls apart into small pieces, and the sauerkraut just about disappears.
Notes
On this episode of "The Food Enthusiast," Dara Bunjon talks with Lexx Mills, co-creator of Stursi, expertly crafted non-alcoholic cocktails.
Dara Bunjon talks with legendary chef Jimmy Schmidt, a three-time James Beard Award recipient, restaurateur, author, food scientist and innovator about his journey from the Rattlesnake Club restaurants to Chefs Collaborative and JR Ranch Foods.
Inspired by his Israeli grandmother’s cooking, Chef Raz Shabtai of Miami's Mutra restaurant says the award was for “the entire Jewish community.”
These snowy almond cookies from Elite Jakob are gluten free, easy to make, and most importantly -- delicious.
