The easy fix: Never fill your slow cooker more than two-thirds of the way full. If you're typically serving a crowd or making recipes with four or more servings, like Slow Cooker Beef Pot Roast, a six- to eight-quart slow cooker will be large enough that you won't need to worry about overcrowding.

Here's how to cook each Thanksgiving dish in a slow cooker, from classics like turkey and stuffing to buttery mashed potatoes.

Amy Hanten: The Cooking Mom has the perfect recipe for slow cooker stuffing. Don't put your turkey in the oven without double checking this. Store-bought stocks can be helpful timesavers for soups and sauces, but one brand that may seem like an okay bet is actually one of the unhealthiest.