Recipes: Thanksgiving, Party of Six

Tiny traditions, foodie twists, and a whole lot of gratitude—no matter where we land.

Thanksgiving is five days away… and we still don’t know where we’re going to be. Classic us.

Our Foretravel remodel is taking just a tad longer than expected. We planned to be.. Honestly, we didn't have a plan, but we thought for sure we would at least be cruising the US in our new remodeled Foretravel Realm Presidential Series! But..... no. For now, we’re in this weird limbo—half packed, half wandering, half living on Instapot meals… okay, that’s too many halves—but you get it.

But this isn’t our first rodeo. We’ve spent holidays in some of the most unexpected places around the world. Last Christmas, we spent in Martinique. We traded snow and Santa for sand and Papa Noel! BUT, wherever we are, we plan to bring a bit of tradition with us with these Thanksgiving recipes for TWO (because lets face it, my kids don't eat enough to be included in the headcount)

So even though we have no clue where we’ll spend Thanksgiving—an RV park, a friend’s driveway, a random resort with availability (I'm pushing for NYC Macy's Day Parade.. Chad wants to hang at the Foretravel parking lot!) —we are sure of one thing:

We will bring a bit of tradition with us.

With four kids (who eat like birds and would rather snack than sit), our Thanksgiving cooking is basically a Thanksgiving for Two.

And since Chad and I are foodies, we don’t do boring. We do tiny versions of the classics… with unexpected, delicious twists.

Here are the WanderLuxe With Us Thanksgiving Recipes—designed for RV living, last-minute cooking, and foodie parents who refuse to miss out on holiday flavors.

🦃 Rosemary Cranberry Whole Chicken (Instant Pot Version)

A mini twist on the classic turkey, without the multi-hour panic.

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken (3–4 lbs)

• Salt & pepper

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 onion, quartered

• 3–4 carrots, cut in chunks

• 3–4 small golden potatoes, halved

• 1 cup fresh cranberries

• 3–4 sprigs rosemary

• 2–3 sprigs thyme

• 2–3 leaves sage

• 1 cup chicken broth

• 3 tbsp maple syrup (optional but incredible)

Instructions

1. Prep the chicken: Pat dry and season generously with salt and pepper.

2. Sauté mode (optional but worth it): Brown the chicken in the Instant Pot with olive oil—2–3 minutes per side.

3. Add the aromatics: Place onions, carrots, potatoes, a sprig of rosemary and cranberries in the pot.

4. Stuff the cavity with rosemary, thyme, and sage.

5. Create the broth: Pour chicken broth around the vegetables, drizzle in maple syrup, and nestle the chicken on top.

6. Pressure cook: Seal the lid and cook on High Pressure for 24 minutes. Let natural release for 10 minutes.

7. Optional crisp: If you want crispy skin, pop the chicken under the broiler for 5–7 minutes. (We use the air fryer in our Café™ 1.7 Cu. Ft. Convection Over-the-Range Microwave Oven)

Why We Love It

• It tastes like turkey, but juicier, faster, and actually stress-free.

• The cranberries melt into the veggies like a tart, buttery gravy.

• Leftovers make elite sandwiches.

🥫 Mom's Microwave Green Bean Casserole (RV-Friendly Edition)

The iconic dish… but ready in under 10 minutes.

Golden, crispy-topped green bean casserole served on a cozy dining table, ready to complement a delicious meal.

I actually never knew this came any other way. She made green bean casserole in the microwave my entire life! And it was BOMB!

Ingredients

• 1 can french style green beans, drained

• 1 can cream of mushroom soup

• ¼ tsp garlic powder

• Salt & pepper

• ½ cup French fried onions

Instructions

1. In a microwave-safe dish, mix green beans, soup, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

2. Microwave for 3–5 minutes, stir, then cook 2 more minutes.

3. Top with fried onions and microwave 30–60 seconds more.

4. Add more onions because… you can. (You can get really fancy and turn on your air fryer mode to crisp up those green beans)

Why We Love It

This tastes like the full casserole without turning the RV into a sauna.

🧀 Sloanie’s Protein Mac

A WanderLuxe classic. High-protein. Kid-approved. Travel-proof.

Sloan will try almost anything—including the time she sampled blood sausage in Martinique on Christmas morning. But if she had it her way, she’d choose mac and cheese for every meal of her life.

So “Sloanie’s Protein Mac” was born: a better-for-you, travel-friendly mac and cheese that dodges the carb crash and sneaks in protein without sacrificing flavor.

Ingredients

• 1 box pea protein pasta or chickpea pasta

• 1–1½ cups shredded cheddar

• ¼ cup cream or whole milk

• 2 tbsp butter

• Pinch salt

• Optional: dash of paprika or garlic powder

Instructions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.

2. Drain and return to pot.

3. Stir in butter, milk, and cheese until creamy.

4. Season lightly with salt.

5. Serve to Sloan, who will inhale it in under 90 seconds.

Why We Love It

• High protein

• Kid super-favorite

• Zero guilt when this becomes the majority of your child's holiday meal.

🥧 Tiny Traditions, Big Memories

So no matter where we park the motorhome this Thanksgiving—Texas… Florida… a random Harvest Host with decent WiFi—we’re showing up with full hearts and full plates.

A whole chicken instead of a turkey. (Unless like us, we opt for a Chilean Seabass instead) A microwave casserole instead of an oven marathon. Mac and cheese because Sloan deserves joy. And food that tastes like home, even when home is on wheels.

From our wandering table to yours—Happy Thanksgiving, Party of Six.