The light in the window

By late afternoon November had swept the last golden leaves against the garden gate. The trees stood nearly bare beneath a gray sky, and a cool wind hurried along the street sending everyone a little deeper into their coats. In every house the...

A little smoke, a family and an encore

Together with the Las Cruces Bulletin I am excited to introduce Restaurant Spotlight with Chef Armando, a new series discovering the people, stories and flavors behind our local restaurants and food trucks. As I drove through Las Cruces I was...

From harvest to haunted house

October comes in on a cool breeze. Mornings feel crisp, evenings call for a jacket, and leaves crunch along the sidewalk. At the market, pumpkins sit beside bales of hay while scarecrows watch over the last of the harvest. Gold and rust fill the...

A culinary voyage across the coastlines

There are meals that satisfy hunger, and then there are meals that stitch themselves into your memory. The kind you talk about days later, the kind that become part of your family’s story. Chef Creates at the Las Cruces Convention Center was...

Inside the Kitchen

The patience of the ingredients

September arrives with a wind of change. There comes a day in September when you step outside and feel it. A breeze moves through, but it is not the same breeze of summer. It is cooler, a little crisper, carrying that refreshing scent that...

Finding the homecooked taste of Las Cruces

Maria Elena Salinas learned to make tamales before anyone thought to write down the recipe. She learned by pulling up a chair beside her mother, Lorenza Ferrales, in the family kitchen in Las Cruces. She and her brother would argue over who got...

August's grand finale

There is something quietly beautiful about August. It is summer's grand finale. For months, the fields have stretched toward the sun. Corn has grown tall and sweet. Wheat has turned from green to gold. Barley has completed its journey. Nature now...

An outdoor patio, that is suited for a backyard barbecue, a neighborhood cookout, or even an afternoon by the cold pool.

Make summer hosting easier

Summer gatherings don’t have to come with elaborate menus or hours spent in the kitchen. Whether it’s a backyard barbecue, a neighborhood cookout or an afternoon by the pool, a little planning can make hosting easier while leaving more time...

America's birthday

There is something special about the Fourth of July. Maybe it's the freedom we celebrate. Maybe it's the memories. Or maybe it's the simple traditions that return every year like old friends. As the summer sun stretches across the afternoon sky,...

A night for all tastes

The Las Cruces party on June 10 was at the Las Cruces Convention Center, where the supporters of Casa de Peregrinos joined its devoted team to support those in our community who have hit a rough patch. The work Casa de Peregrinos does to lift...

Volunteers load a car at a Casa de Peregrinos pop-up pantry.

Because I have been given much

Most visitors to Casa de Peregrinos will never meet Nancy Ryan. They see volunteers loading food into carts and carrying boxes to waiting vehicles, staff members helping families navigate difficult circumstances and shelves stocked with groceries...

Long after the last bite

For most of the year, hunger is invisible. The families who visit Casa de Peregrinos don't arrive carrying signs announcing their struggles. They are grandparents raising grandchildren, parents working multiple jobs, seniors stretching fixed...

New Mexico State University graduate students Olatunde Ojo, Nana Nkansah, and Muhammad Azeem-ur-Rehman Alvi make ice cream at the food science dairy lab on campus.

NMSU lab helps sweeten the deal for major ice cream producers

Ice cream is a summertime staple and a favorite dessert among Americans, with innovative flavors and recipes being consistently introduced into the marketplace. But you might not realize that some of the big secrets to producing a high-quality ice...

My mother’s hands

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers. To the ones who bring life into this world and from that moment on give a love that asks for nothing but gives everything. A quiet strength. A constant presence. A love that never ends. Happy Mother’s...

The shift

March is the month where nothing fully leaves, but everything begins to change. The cold does not disappear, but it softens. Doors open again. Windows crack just enough to let fresh air slip inside. You can feel the kitchen wake up. New aromas...

A table for two

February arrives with hearts in every window, reservations booked weeks in advance, and dining rooms filled shoulder to shoulder with couples trying to celebrate love on a schedule. Valentine’s Day has a way of turning something deeply personal...

Chef Armando Murillo, Executive Chef at Las Cruces Convention Center

The pause after the season

The holiday season arrives every year with a familiar rhythm. It begins quietly enough, then builds. Plans stack on plans. Calendars fill. Grocery lists grow longer. Kitchens warm. Tables expand to make room for one more chair. We rush toward...

Home, Christmas, and a warm oven

Some of my earliest memories are from the little kitchen where I grew up. Not the presents under the tree, not the decorations, but the smell of something warm baking in the oven. Every December, when Christmas approached and the weather turned...

Chef sees food as his love language

Armando Murillo has always expressed himself through food. Beginning as a boy in his home in Southern California, the executive chef at the Las Cruces Convention Center was pulled into the joy that comes from creating delicious cuisine.

The Empty Bowls are waiting to be filled.

Filling the Empty Bowls

The goal for this year’s 33rd annual Empty Bowls fundraiser, which benefits El Caldito, is $45,000.

The entrance to La Posta de Mesilla is seen on Jan. 16.

America’s Best Restaurants to feature La Posta

La Posta de Mesilla is approaching its 85 th anniversary of operations, with plans underway to celebrate the occasion in September; but first, the restaurant is to be featured on an episode of the …

5 unique Thanksgiving main dishes to make on the grill

Wildfire Outdoor Living reports on unique Thanksgiving grilling recipes from Wildfire Outdoor Living, featuring dishes like Five-Spice Rotisserie Pork and Blackened Tri-Tip.

Thanksgiving Turkey Report: Tuesday is bird day and frozen fans plan ahead, according to Instacart data

Instacart reports that whole turkey purchases soared 1,651% ahead of Thanksgiving 2025, peaking on Tuesday. Frozen varieties lead in some states, while thermometers saw a 3,589% spike on the holiday.

How to host Thanksgiving on a budget

Current reports on budget-friendly Thanksgiving hosting tips, emphasizing early shopping, free turkeys, and cooking less to minimize expenses during holiday gatherings.

Survey: How restaurant industry workers feel about pay, tips, benefits, and AI

Toast reports a survey indicating increased pay and benefits satisfaction among restaurant employees, with 67% satisfied with pay, up 12 points from 2025.

What causes a food coma, and how to beat it this Thanksgiving

Naturepedic reports that food comas, or postprandial somnolence, occur after large meals, causing drowsiness.

How to host a winning backyard tailgate: Game day recipes and homegating inspiration

Wildfire Outdoor Living reports on hosting a backyard tailgate with game day recipes, featuring grilled buffalo wings, bacon-wrapped jalapeño poppers, and more.

Recipes, Entertaining Ideas, and More

Keeping the Love of Food with Type 2 Diabetes

(Feature Impact) Living with Type 2 diabetes often means making adjustments to your daily routine, especially when it comes to food. Although adjusting to life with diabetes may take time, you don't have to give up your favorite foods and flavors. In fact, it can be an opportunity to discover meals that support your health goals while still enjoying the foods you love.

Cozy Up with Comforting Soups and Stews

(Feature Impact) As temperatures drop, few meals warm you from the inside out quite like Beef Stew with Rice or Hearty Rice Minestrone Soup. These comforting favorites deliver delicious flavor to the family table, and better yet, they don't require much time in the kitchen, making them particularly practical for busy weekdays.