Tis the Season to Wear Boots...

Bridgette just bought her favorite pair of EMU boots. The Mushroom color boots go with everything in her wardrobe. Yesterday she wore them with skinny denim from William Rast, a thermal, and  one of her favorite scarves. She also plans to wear them with a sweater dress later on this week. They are so versatile that she even wore them to a girlfriends PJ Christmas Party paired with a PJ Salvage nightshirt and scarf. Check out photos below of this awesome EMU boot and scarves from Brokedown's fall/winter collection. All available at Roka Boutique and online at http://www.shoproka.com/.

Holiday Parties

Tis the season for food, fun, and friends! Get a group of friends together, enjoy each others company over appetizers and a bottle of wine. Start a new tradition of a yearly pajama or white elephant exchange. Parties like this gives everyone something to look forward too! Happy Holidays Everyone!

Sugar Cookies!

Here is a Sugar Cookie recipe that is easy to make, and delicious enough to share with friends and family. Please post some of your favorite Holiday recipes!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups butter, softened
• 2 cups white sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight).
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely.

Find your Favorite Holiday Outfit!

With the Holidays right around the corner it's time to go shopping for a perfect Holiday outfit! When shopping for a Holiday outfit pick one that you feel confident & comfortable in. Pick the dressy top over the more casual, and don't forget to accessorize with fashion jewelry. Look at this Holiday top just in from Soul Revival. This is one you wont want to pass up! 

Quick Chili Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 2 (14.5 ounce) cans Italian-style diced tomatoes
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 cup water
• 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans
• 1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce

Directions

1. In a large stock pot lightly brown ground beef, and drain if needed.
2. Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is translucent.
3. Add tomatoes, diced tomatoes with chili peppers, tomato sauce, water, kidney beans, pinto beans, chili powder, cumin, sugar, salt, pepper and hot sauce. Simmer for 30 minutes and then serve.

Style Talk with Roka Boutique!

Wake up and think out of the box today. Put certain styles together that you normally wouldn't. For example adding a long necklace to a sweat outfit like the one pictured on the left makes the outfit look dressier and more put together. In the middle picture, a brown and black combo is put together and looks fabulous with denim and a pair of black wedged booties.The outfit on the right has a great pop of color with a neutral cargo pant. The brown EMU wedged boots brings the whole outfit together. All items are found at Roka Boutique! Shop online or in store today! www.shoproka.com

Dessert Night!

While the weather is cooling down we all love to hang outside and have a snack with a warm drink. Nothing beats hot cider on a cool winter evening, with a snicker doodle for a nice treat. Here are two recipes for a fun dessert night. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 6 cups apple cider
• 1/4 cup real maple syrup
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 6 whole cloves
• 6 whole allspice berries
• 1 orange peel, cut into strips
• 1 lemon peel, cut into strips
• 
  
• Directions

1. Pour the apple cider and maple syrup into a large stainless steel saucepan.
2. Place the cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice berries, orange peel and lemon peel in the center of a washed square of cheesecloth; fold up the sides of the cheesecloth to enclose the bundle, then tie it up with a length of kitchen string. Drop the spice bundle into the cider mixture.
3. Place the saucepan over moderate heat for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the cider is very hot but not boiling.
4. Remove the cider from the heat. Discard the spice bundle. Ladle the cider into big cups or mugs, adding a fresh cinnamon stick to each serving if desire

Ingredients

• 1 cup shortening
• 1 1/4 cups white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
•  
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 
  
• Directions

1. In a medium bowl, cream shortening and sugar. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar, stir into the creamed mixture. Cover dough and chill for at least 1 hour.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). In a small saucer, stir together the remaining sugar, with the cinnamon and nutmeg.
3. Roll dough into 1 inch balls and roll the balls in the sugar mixture. Place 2 inches apart on an unprepared cookie sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, edges will be golden brown. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.