Love 'em or hate 'em, cranberries are an integral part of the holidays. And with a great cranberry sauce recipe like some of the ones below, you may just manage to convert a cranberry hater into a lover. Because these are not your ordinary cranberry sauce recipes. With unexpected flavors and interesting ingredients, these recipes are in a whole 'nother ballpark.

Let's put it this way: if your guests don't like the recipe below for Cranberry Sauce with Port and Figs, they probably don't have tongues!

Looking for more recipes for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner? Or for the perfect Holiday turkey?

The bourbon in this cranberry sauce recipe gives it a deep, rich pungency that take it onto a whole new plane of existence. This is the type of recipe where, when your guests claim to dislike cranberry sauce, you can rightly say "that's just because you haven't tried my cranberry sauce."

This recipe originally comes from Food and Wine Magazine, and makes enough to serve 8. For a make-ahead Thanksgiving or Christmas, make up this sauce up to a week ahead of time and store, covered, in the fridge, until you're ready to set it on the table. It'll make your life much easier on serving day.

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Ingredients:
1 C. bourbon
1/4 C. minced shallot
1 orange, zest of
12 oz. fresh cranberries, washed
1 C. granulated sugar
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Instructions: 1. Heat bourbon, shallots, and zest in a medium saucepan over medium heat.

2. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer about 10 minutes, until bourbon has reduced to a thin glaze.

3. Stir in cranberries and sugar. Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until most of the berries have burst and the sauce has thickened. Stir often.

4. It will generally take anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes for sauce to cook down and thicken, depending on the size of your fire.

5. Transfer to a serving bowl. Cover and refrigerate. Serve cold.

From Bon Appetit, this homemade cranberry sauce recipe is the perfect combination of sweetness and tart. Not too sweet, this sauce has a wonderful, rich flavor that makes it the perfect accompaniment to turkey. Be sure to use a good quality port for the best possible result. Then watch your non-cranberry-loving guests ooh and aah over this perfect cranberry sauce recipe.

The final recipe makes just over 3 cups, depending on how long you let it reduce. You can make this sauce up to a week ahead of time and store in the fridge to await the Christmas or Thanksgiving turkey.

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Ingredients:
1 1/3 C. ruby Port
1/4 C. balsamic vinegar
1/4 C. brown sugar
12 dried black figs, chopped
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
12 oz. fresh cranberries, washed
3/4 C. granulated sugar

Instructions: 1. In a non-reactive saucepan, combine port, vinegar, brown sugar, figs, rosemary sprig, and pepper.

2. Over medium heat, bring to a boil, stirring constantly.

3. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Simmer mixture approximately 10 minutes, til reduced and well combined.

4. Remove and throw away rosemary sprig.

5. Stir in cranberries and granulated sugar.

6. Simmer at a moderate heat until most of the berries have burst and the sauce has thickened and reduced somewhat, 10-20 minutes, depending on the final consistency desired.

7. Cool and transfer to serving bowl. Cover and refrigerate. Serve cold.

This is quite a twist on your traditional cranberry sauce for turkey. The combination of fresh and dried cranberries give it a wonderful texture, and the flavor is sharp, spicy, and really wonderful. Because the cranberries aren't cooked with sugar --in fact, they're not cooked at all-- this cranberry salsa is very tangy. Try it as a garnish for a southwestern themed turkey dinner.

Just a hint... if you have cranberry haters in your household, this is a good way to sneak a bit of cranberry onto your menu. Try it as an appetizer with tortilla chips!

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Ingredients:
1 1/2 C. fresh cranberries, washed
1 1/2 C. dried cranberries
1/4 C. minced onion
4 tbsp. minced cilantro
2 oranges, zest of
2 oranges peeled, seeded and chopped
1 tbsp. minced or grated fresh ginger
1/2 C. honey (add more if you like sweet)
1 jalepeños, seeded and minced
Salt,to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions: 1. Chop fresh cranberries in a food processor until fine.

2. Dump cranberries out into a mixing bowl. Add dried cranberries, onion, cilantro, orange zest, orange fruit, ginger, honey, jalapeño, and a touch of salt and pepper. Mix well.

3. Taste for seasoning. Add additional salt and pepper as necessary.

4. Cover and refrigerate at least several hours, but no longer than 3 days.