Coat the inside bottom and sides of the slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.  You could also use specially designed slow cooker liners for an even easier clean-up. Note that this recipe requires the use of a 2-qt to 4-qt (2-L to 4-L) slow cooker. If you use a smaller or larger slow cooker, adjust the recipe by proportion accordingly. Mix the flour, granulated sugar, 2 Tbsp (30 ml) cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir until evenly combined. These ingredients form the base of the actual cake batter. Pour the milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla into the wet ingredients. Stir them into the dry ingredients until evenly combined.  The resulting batter may have a few small lumps, but use the mixing spoon to break apart any notably large lumps. Keep stirring until you can no longer see any of the dry ingredient mix. In a separate medium mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar and 1/4 cup (60 ml) cocoa powder. Stir the hot water into the mixture, as well.  Combine the two dry ingredients first, followed by the hot water. Continue stirring the mixture until it appears evenly combined and very smooth. Do not leave any lumps. Pour the cake batter into the slow cooker, then pour the pudding mix on top. Do not stir the two together.  Since the cake batter will be thick, you'll need to spread it over the bottom of the slow cooker with a spatula or the back of a spoon. Do so before topping it with the pudding. Try to pour the pudding over the cake batter layer as evenly as possible. Cover the slow cooker and switch it onto its high heat setting. Cook the cake for 2 to 2-1/2 hours, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Do not remove the lid while the cake is cooking. Doing so will release too much heat and may increase the final cooking time. Turn off the slow cooker once the cake is done. Remove the lid and allow the cake to stand for 30 to 40 minutes before serving it.  Instead of serving this cake in slices, you'll need to spoon it out into serving dishes. You can enjoy this cake by itself or serve it with ice cream and dessert sauce.

Summary: Coat the slow cooker. Combine the dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients. Make the lava. Pour the batters into the slow cooker. Cook on high heat. Cool slightly before serving.


Sheet music is written on lined notation paper, featuring blank staves on which you can print notes, rests, dynamic markers, and other notes to guide the instrumentalists as they play.  If you want to write sheet music free-hand, the old fashioned way of Mozart and Beethoven, don't worry about drawing your staves on a blank piece of paper with a ruler. Instead, find some free blank staff paper online that you can print out quickly to start filling in with your compositions. If you are really serious though, it would be a better idea to go to a music store and get staff paper there. Its not free like online but your work will look more professional. On many sites, you can even pre-set the key and add the clef markers without having to fill them in yourself. Configure the staves like you want them, download the files, and print them out from your computer. Print out plenty of sheets to practice on and start your compositions in pencil. It can be a messy business trying to get your complicated ideas out on paper, so it helps to be able to erase and make little changes without having to recopy the whole thing. If you want to compose on your computer, you can use software to drag and drop notes, make quick changes and revisions, providing you with easy access and quick saves. Composing on the computer is increasingly popular among contemporary composers, saving you time and effort in writing music.   MuseScore is a popular software, easy-to-use and compatible with either freestyle composition or MIDI inputs. You can record directly onto the staves or work by building your piece up note-by-note. Most composition software also features MIDI playback, so you can hear what you've just written in digital version.  GarageBand also comes standard on most new Macs, and can be used to write sheet music by selecting a "Songwriting" project. You can record live sounds or input an instrument directly to transcribe into musical notation, then click on the Scissor icon in the bottom left corner to check out the notes.  Noteflight is a good online site to use if you don't want to spend a lot of money on software as your first ten scores are free when you make an account. Download the software and start a new project to start saving your work. If you input a MIDI keyboard into the computer with a USB cable, you'll be able to play your melody directly onto the keyboard and the software will chart your music on the staff. It's as easy as it gets. You can even layer parts, assigning them to different instruments, to get started on that symphony. Online communities of composers and sheet-music readers also exist to compose and congregate over their music. Much like using composition software, you can compose your tune right online and save your work, then make it public and get feedback from other composers, or leave it private and access your composition from anywhere.  Noteflight is one such free community, and an excellent resource both for learning to read music, writing music, exploring other peoples' compositions, and posting your compositions. Want to chart out some horn lines for an R&B song, or write up a string part to back your ballad? It's most common to work on one phrase or instrument at a time, then worrying about harmony and counterpoint later when you've got the first part knocked out. Common charting projects might include:  Horn section parts for trumpet (in Bb), saxophone (in Eb), and trombone (in Bb). String quartet for two violins, viola, and cello Piano charts for accompaniment vocal sheets

Summary: Download and print some free notation paper. Download music composition software. Sign up for a free online composition resource. Select an instrument or a group of instruments for which to compose.


You want your management plan to look professional. It should be free of spelling and grammatical errors as well as any typos. It should be printed on white paper that is unwrinkled and free of stains. The formatting of the management plan should be the same as the rest of your business proposal. You may choose to mark off major sections with bold headings. The font should be readable. Times New Roman font at 12 point size is standard. You can use bullet points to list experience, abilities, and responsibilities, or you can have short paragraphs providing all of the essential information. The more people who read your plan, the better. A business consultant or financial planner will be able to provide better advice once you have a draft of your management plan than before. Sit down with the consultant. They may be able to identify any holes or conflicts you have in your business plan. It is important that all owners and high level managers of the company agree on the management plan. Make sure that each owner has a copy. They may send you edits and revisions. Consider these carefully. If you disagree with any of their changes, sit down with them so that you can find a compromise for your business. When they approve, have all owners sign the plan before you submit it to your investors, bank, or fundraising bodies. Any management plan you create will be untested and will likely need revision as you begin to implement it. Therefore, you'll need to include provisions by which the plan can be amended and revised throughout its life. Start by creating a schedule for assessment, stating times at which a group will meet to discuss the effectiveness of the plan and the success or failure of its implementation.  Make sure there is a way for all management and employees to submit their feedback regarding the plan. Then, create a method by which changes to the plan can be approved and instituted.
Summary: Proofread your plan carefully. Format your plan for clarity. Consider asking a business consultant to look it over. Send it out to all owners. Make a commitment to amend your plan as necessary.