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Every year we make cranberry sauce and serve it with our holiday meal…and inevitably there is someone at the table who claims to not like "cranberry sauce". When prodded further as to what their experience is with cranberry sauce — they most often describe a jiggly, red substance that is shaped into the not so elegant mold of a can. After several minutes of convincing them to take a "no-thank you" bite of real cranberry sauce — they are usually pleasantly surprised, and often become cranberry sauce converts by the end of the meal! Fresh cranberry sauce has a delicious tart-sweet flavor far superior to the canned variety.

We invite you to convert a few cranberry sauce doubters this year with these wonderfully easy cranberry sauce recipes:

Basic Cranberry Sauce:

• 3/4 cup water
• cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 12-ounce bag of cranberries, picked through

Note: You can use frozen cranberries if you wish, just pick through them and add a couple extra minutes to your simmering time.

In a medium saucepan, bring water, sugar and salt to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar. Add the cranberries and return mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until mixture is slightly thickened and about two-thirds of the berries have popped opened, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool to room temperature. (The cranberry sauce can be covered and refrigerated for up to 7 days; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.)

Cranberry Orange Sauce

• 3/4 cup water
• cup sugar
• 1 Tablespoon orange zest
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 Tablespoon orange juice
• 12-ounce bag of cranberries, picked through

In a medium saucepan, bring water, orange zest, sugar and salt to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar. Add the cranberries and orange juice and return mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until mixture is slightly thickened and about two-thirds of the berries have popped opened, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool to room temperature. (The cranberry sauce can be covered and refrigerated for up to 7 days; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.)

Cranberry Sauce with Pears and Fresh Ginger

• 1 Tablespoon fresh ginger, finely grated
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3/4 cup water
• cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 12-ounce bag of cranberries, picked through
• medium-sized firm, ripe pears, cut into 1/2-inch dice

In a medium saucepan, bring water, ginger, cinnamon, sugar and salt to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar. Add the cranberries and pears and return mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until mixture is slightly thickened and about two-thirds of the berries have popped opened, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool to room temperature. (The cranberry sauce can be covered and refrigerated for up to 7 days; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.)

Cranberry Sauce with Port

• 1 cup port wine
• 6 cups fresh cranberries
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• Zest of 1 orange
• Pinch of salt

Place port in a large, deep skillet. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add cranberries and cook until they begin to pop, about 5 minutes. Add sugar, orange zest and a pinch of salt. Bring mixture back to a boil and cook until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Let cool. Serve.

Cranberry Sauce with Apple Cider

• 12 oz. fresh (or frozen) cranberries
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup apple cider
• zest of 1 lemon

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 10-15 minutes or until the cranberries pop. Let cool. Serve at room temperature.

Cranberry Sauce with Port Wine & Pears

• 1 cup fresh cranberries
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup Port wine
• 4 Bartlett pears, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 3 Tablespoons sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon orange zest

In a medium saucepan, combine the cranberries, water, Port wine, pears, sugar. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, over medium low heat for about 25-30 minutes or until the cranberries pop. Remove from heat and stir in the orange zest. Cool to room temperature and serve.

Enjoy!

-Chef Jessica

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