Navy Bean Soup, Cornbread, Cinnamon Rolls

Back in high school we had a two week menu rotation. Prior to Vatican II we alternated fish sticks and grilled cheese on Fridays. Afterwards, it was hot dogs and pizza. Wednesdays, it was either chili with the best, fluffy cornbread or navy bean soup with huge, fluffy cinnamon rolls.

Being a bean lover, I was in hog heaven every Wednesday. It didn’t hurt that the cornbread came with honey butter or the cinnamon rolls were cinnamony and as big as a catcher’s mitt.

Family story time: We had our neighborhood ‘egg lady’ who came by every now and then. Mom always bought her farm fresh eggs. I loved that I could get double yolkers.
One day, three year old Debbie answered the door; the egg lady asked if Mom might like some navy bean. Debbie ran through the house to Mom and shouted, “Mom, Mom we got to get some ARMY beans!” After that, we always had army bean soup at home.