Whether it’s a case of picky eaters, needing to stretch a meal, or just loving the taste, turning to pasta as a side dish or a base for a meal is a common process for any busy cook. But cooking on the stove is still time consuming and requires extra focus, especially if little hands are trying to "help" in the kitchen. Using your microwave or slow cooker to make pasta is an easy alternative to pasta on the stove.

Add pasta to a deep, microwave-safe bowl.

Add water until the pasta is submerged. About ½ an inch of water above the surface of the pasta is a good rule of thumb.

Sprinkle a pinch or two of salt into the bowl and stir.

Cook in three- to four-minute increments, stirring after each increment. The pasta will take five to 10 minutes to cook, depending on how much you are making.

Drain any excess water and use pasta as desired.

Cook nonpasta ingredients first. Pasta cooks quickly in a slow cooker and adding it too soon will leave you with mush.

Add pasta to slow cooker, stirring once to mix it with the sauce or soup. Add extra water if the liquid content is low.

Cook for 20 minutes and serve. If using wheat pasta, increase the cooking time by 10 minutes.