Naperville resident Penny Catour Ledford didn’t grow up on a farm but she is familiar with the farming community after growing up in rural Colona, near East Moline.

Her father built farm equipment for John Deere and also farmed rented fields in Silvis. When her dad and others were busy in the fields, Ledford recalls her mother often taking lunch to them.

“She made a barbecue-like sandwich quite often,” Ledford said. “She would brown hamburger and onion and then lower the heat and add a can of corned beef. Then she would add ketchup to the mixture. It had to be Brooks Ketchup, which has a little kick to it. She would put it on a hamburger bun and also give (the farmers) a dill pickle spear and potato chips. They really loved those sandwiches.”

Ledford says Brooks Ketchup can be challenging to find but it has a unique flavor that makes the search worth the effort, she said.

Ledford left the rural life when she and her husband moved to Naperville many years ago. She served as director of community relations for Indian Prairie School District 204 for 15 years until she retired in 2002.

She still holds a love for the great outdoors and especially enjoys traveling to Colorado, she said. “We generally always vacation in the mountains out west because we just love the scenery.”

One of Ledford’s favorite meals year around is vegetable soup. “I start with sirloin steak instead of stew meat,” she said. “I think sirloin is more tender and easier to chew. I think it has more flavor too.”

The recipe changes a little each time she makes it, depending upon what is in her refrigerator. “I usually try to have sirloin steak, corn, green beans, celery, onion, cut up small potatoes and peas.” She pours in ready-made beef stock and two or three bouillon cubes. The mixture is brought to a boil and then the heat is lowered so the mixture can simmer. When everything is tender, the soup is ready.

“I love to make it because we can eat it for several days,” she said. “In the winter, I just set the pot in the garage to keep it cool. Then all I have to do is take out a bowl and microwave it. It freezes well too.”

Ledford doesn’t like to add noodles because they can become soggy when reheated. If she feels like having noodles in her soup, she cooks a few servings of noodles and adds them.

Her husband’s favorite comfort food is a casserole made with tater tots. “My husband is often the person who makes it,” Ledford said. The dish involves layering ground beef, cheese and frozen tater tots that cook together into a tasty dish. The recipe calls for American cheese but other cheese varieties that melt well can be used, she said.

When the extended Ledford family gets together, the one dish that is always on the table is creamy cornbread.

“The recipe is from my sister-in-law, Sue Ledford. When we get together, she likes to wait until the last minute to bring it out. We are all sitting at the table and someone says, ‘Hey! Where’s the cornbread?’ Then she goes and brings it out and everyone is happy to see it.

“It is sort of a family tradition. The creamy cornbread is a cross between corn pudding and corn bread. It isn’t as custard-like as the pudding but not as crumbly as corn bread,” Ledford said. “It is great comfort food. The recipe can be doubled, which is what we always do.”

Ledford shares both comfort food recipes for others looking for quick, filling food for the busy spring days ahead.

Judy Buchenot is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.