At least their interest in Power Rangers got them involved in martial arts. Lucie and Nathan have taken karate lessons for over a year and a half and will be getting their brown belts next month. And did I mention that Lucie was a Power Ranger for Halloween?

So when I heard that there were two new Power Rangers movies, I had to get them for the kids for Christmas.  First, there’s Power Rangers: Jungle Fury – Into the Jungle (Vol. 1). The fury of an ancient evil is unleashed, calling for three new teenage heroes to rise up and defend the world. The valiant skills of the Order Of the Claw have kept a 10,000-year-old spirit completely caged…until now. Dai Shi has escaped and three new warriors must find and destroy him.

Then there’s Power Rangers: Jungle Fury – Way of the Master (Vol. 2). Our heroes team up against the evil Dai Shi forces once more. This time the Power Rangers are trained in the ways of the master by members of the Kung Fu clan. But can they learn new weapons, work closely as a team, and harness their jungle pride? (Oh my, the drama! I have to laugh.)

More martial arts movie and book fun

If the cartoon violence is a little too much for your karate kid, there’s always Kung Fu Panda and the The Karate Kid movies. But how about some books?

• Karate for Kids - For ages nine to 12, this book can help kids interested in karate or already involved in classes. It covers the history of karate, the uniform, the meaning of the belt colors, the rules and etiquette of the dojo, and interaction between student and teacher. Karate stances are also illustrated.
• Angels Don’t Know Karate – An Adventures Of The Bailey School Kids book for children ages nine to 12. Miss Angela Michaels, the new karate teacher in Bailey City, who is also the school crossing guard, is so kind and generous that Melody becomes convinced that she is a guardian angel.
• Julie Black Belt: The Kung Fu Chronicles – For ages four to eight, Oliver Chin’s book introduces children to martial arts through Julie. She thinks getting a black belt will be easy, but it’s harder than she thinks. Can this “white belt” pass her next test to show her family the sport’s true spirit? 
• Jojos Flying Sidekick In order for JoJo to advance from a white to a yellow belt in Tae Kwon Do, she must break a board with a flying side kick. She’s worried and her friends and family offer support and advice. Can she pass? For children ages four to eight.

There is a good variety of books on this topic for older children. Here are just a few:

• T is for Touchdown: A Football Alphabet – Sports writer Brad Herzog’s easy-to-read-aloud rhymes engage even the youngest of readers, while hardcore football fans can devour the detailed expository that covers the sport of the pigskin, from A-Z and end zone to end zone. Plays and players are just a few of the topics covered. The book’s reading level is ages 9-12, but the format should appeal to preschoolers as well.)
• John Madden’s Heroes of Football – For millions of fans, John Madden’s name is synonymous with football. In Heroes of Football, Madden uses his extensive knowledge to detail the dominating dynasties, prominent players, game-making plays, and season-ending games that transformed professional football from its rough-and-tumble beginnings to the country’s biggest sport. Filled with photos, sidebars, and analytical charts, this is the ultimate book for young football fans. Ages 9-12.
• Walter Payton: Football’s "Sweetest" Superstar – In Walter Payton, dozens of his contemporaries, former teammates, coaches, childhood and college chums, business partners, fans, and friends offer in their own words their favorite memories and anecdotes of this man they loved so much. Walter Payton is a warm, entertaining, and inspiring book about a man whose fame transcended the sport in which he competed into the widest realms of life itself. Ages 9-12.
• DK NFL Readers: Super Bowl – The most exciting single-day event in sports is brought to vivid life in this DK Reader that covers the history of the big game, the brightest moments and most exciting stars who’ve played in it, as well as how the Super Bowl has become an entertainment powerhouse. (Ages 9-12)
• DK NFL Readers: Peyton Manning (Level 3: Reading Alone) – Peyton Manning is one of the NFL’s hottest young quarterbacks. Read about how he worked hard to make his NFL dreams come true! (Ages 4-8).
• There are several other DK NFL Readers for children ages 4 through 12.
• World’s Strangest Football Stories – Great for kids who love trivia and sports. Pigskin fans will love this wacky book packed with strange but true football stories. (Ages 9-12)

If this is way too much work or your family will start WWIII over toppings, why not make English Muffin Pizzas? These are really kid friendly, fun and will make terrific appetizers as well. But if you’re going traditional, the kids can help with punching out the dough and assembly.

Gino’s East Meets Pizzeria Uno Deep Dish Chicago-Style Pizza Recipe

Crust ingredients:

1. 1 cup of warm water
2. 1 package yeast
3. 1/2 cup cornmeal or corn flour
4. 1 teaspoon salt
5. 2 T corn oil
6. 2 ½ to 3 cups of cheap generic flour
7. Yellow food coloring – the real secret to why Gino’s crust is yellow (optional)

Crust directions:

1. Take the water and put it in your mixer. Add yeast and a touch of sugar. Let the yeast foam up to be sure that it is active.
2. Then add the rest of the ingredients including 2 1/2 cups flour. Add between 1/4 and 1/2 teaspoons of yellow food coloring (optional).
3. Using a dough hook, knead the dough until it is well combined. The dough should be moist but not sticky. If the dough is sticky add a little more flour. Let the mixer knead the dough for 10 minutes.
4. If you have a gas oven, put it in there to rise (the pilot light keeps the oven slightly warmer than room temperature.) Otherwise, put it in a warm dry place – maybe by the drier in your laundry room or by a heating vent. If you desire a late in the day pizza taste (yeasty tasting), then let it rise all day.

Filling ingredients:

1. 1/3 pound sliced mozzarella cheese
2. 2 cups Italian-style whole peeled tomatoes, drained and squished
3. 1 teaspoon basil
4. 1 teaspoon oregano
5. 2 cloves garlic, minced
6. Salt to taste
7. 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
8. 3 tablespoons olive oil

Assembly:

1. Take the dough out of the oven, then preheat it to 350 degrees F.
2. After the dough has risen take your deep dish pizza pan (or a round cake pan with straight sides) and coat the inside of it with a very healthy coating of melted butter. You can also use a cast iron skillet, which will produce a crustier crust.
3. Roll the dough out to about 1/4 inch thick and up it in the pan. Then pinch the dough up along the sides of the pan.
4. Place the cheese in tile-like layers on the bottom of the pie.
5. Next put in the tomatoes and the basil, oregano, garlic, and salt, reserving the Parmesan cheese for the top.
6. Drizzle olive oil over the top of the pie and you are ready to bake.
7. Bake the pie in a 475°F oven until the top is golden and gooey and the crust a light golden brown, about 35 to 40 minutes.

Variations: Before you put on the Parmesan cheese and olive oil drizzle, you might like to add any or all of the following: Italian sausage, hot or mild yellow onions, peeled and diced pepperoni, sliced thin mushrooms, slice olives, or maybe sliced green sweet bell peppers, cored and sliced thin.

Or you can be totally untradional and go the "foo-foo" route with some shrimp, sun dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and feta cheese. Mmmmmmmmm.

No, I’m not going to Miami, but I will be watching Da Bears vs. the Colts this Sunday. It’s become a family tradition for us to make food based on the region where the teams are from. I was really hoping that New Orleans (gumbo) or San Diego (fish tacos) would make it to the big game this year. Since I can’t think of Indiapolis food, we’ll going with a Chicago theme. We used to live in the Chicagoland area (that’s where Nathan was born) and boy was the food terrific!

This week I’ll be featuring some yummy Chicago inspired recipes. I’m convinced that it’s impossible to make deep dish at home, but I’m going to try to find something close or settle for calzones. And I’ll try to find some good Polish food and rib recipes to share, too.

I’ll be including some books as well, after all you’re going to need something wholesome to distract the kids from potential wardrobe malfunctions from Prince (he’s been known to have a few), and the Viagra (Ditka!) and GoDaddy ads.

But first, why not check out the NFL’s Super Bowl website to learn more about the game and players? This would be fascinating for your older children – if they can get dad away from the computer for a minute. And check out the Super Bowl History page with links to the Pro Football Hall of Fame and pictures of the tickets and rings (click on the scores to see them).

The Super Bowl is such a grand American tradition with a rich history and many hereos that kids can look up to and admire, like da Bear’s Walter Payton on the left. Take advantage of the game and use it to bond with your family and teach kids about America, sports traditions, role models, and great regional food.