Let's get this party started

Pre-workout fuel: Too Healthy Pumpkin Muffin and a banana
Workout: Ran 4.75 miles in 41 minutes, 18 seconds; average pace, 8:41.

You could say that I was a bit antsy this morning. I was up at 6 a.m. I was eating breakfast at 6:20.

At 6:45, I was a bit surprised that Mark wasn't awake so I decided to open (successfully!) two pomegranates. By 7:15, I almost woke him and had he not strolled out of the bedroom at 7:30, he would have gotten a nice wake-up call from Denali.

Why so harried so early in the morning?

Well, I wanted to get in my run, eat a real breakfast and get to work preparing for my oh so Wonderful day.

Yes. Today is the day. The day of my POM Wonderful dinner party. I was supplied two cases of pomegranates, coupons for POM Wonderful juice, an apron, cutting board and gift bags for my guests as part of my selection as one of 100 hosts.

My party tonight will showcase the wonderful versatility of that stain-creating monster superfruit we know as the pomegranate. And football. It is Sunday, after all.

Pomegranate barbecue sauce, left, and pomegranate caramel sauce

Game-day barbecue chicken legs
Adapted from Fotocusisine

1 cup POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 ounces tomato paste (half a small can)
1 1/2 tablespoons molasses
1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin powder
2 tablespoons honey
1 lemon, juiced
Salt and pepper to taste
2 pounds chicken legs

Pour POM Wonderful juice into a large saucepan. Add garlic, tomato paste, molasses, mustard powder, cumin and honey. Whisk together and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Continue to let the sauce simmer until it thickens and reduces by a about a third to a half. Remove from heat and add lemon juice.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Rinse chicken in cold water and pat dry. Season chicken with salt and pepper and put chicken on cookie sheet. bake for 15 minutes. Turn chicken and cover each piece with barbecue sauce. Bake another 15 to 20 minutes.