How Do Processed Holiday Classics Compare to Homemade?

For years, a relative of mine served boxed stuffing at her holiday gatherings, spiced up with cut-up pre-cooked turkey sausage. When I offered to make some homemade stuffing one year, she waved me off. “No one can the tell the difference, anyway.”

Funny, but I could absolutely tell the difference. Was it just me? I contemplated on how real mashed potatoes, gravy, fresh green beans and cranberry sauce would stack up to their processed cousins. What about supermarket turkey versus a fresh, organic bird?

To find out, I made two dinners, one with fresh side dishes and a fancy turkey, the other with packaged sides and a supermarket bird. To test them, I gathered a panel of objective judges — the firefighters from my local firehouse. The result? Find out in our in-depth look – plus get my favorite recipes — in the Firehouse Challenge on my new site, CookFearless.com