Strawberry Pretzel Salad

I joined a recipe exchange here

http://nowthatswhatscooking.blogspot.com/

I received this recipe in the mail and tried it for a 4th of July picnic. It was wonderful. It does not show me who the recipe was from as of yet, but I should know by tonight maybe.

I have had this salad before and it is WONDERFUL. The salt from the pretzels and the sweet from everything else make a nice combination for the food lovers in all of us. I would, as well as everyone at their picnic, would give this two thumbs up. I had no left overs to snack on during the weekend. This recipe is easy to make and is something that is very quick also, so you don't have to spend too much time in the kitchen. I wish I would have gotten a photo of it before it was being consumed but people were too quick for me to catch that. I will be making it again in a couple of weeks and will try then.

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

2 cups crushed pretzels

3 tbsp. sugar

3/4 cup melted butter

9 oz. cool whip

8 oz. cream cheese

1 cup sugar

2 cups boiling water

6 oz. strawberry jello

20 oz. frozen, unsweetened strawberries

(side note, I also made this with raspberry jello before with half frozen raspberries and frozen strawberries and it was SO good also, so it is okay to experiment! I have a friend that she tried it with lime jello and frozen strawberries and it tasted like a strawberry margarita, but I find that hard to believe and it wouldn't look pretty either!)

Directions

Mix the pretzels, 2 tbsp. of sugar, and 3/4 cup of butter together and press into the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. Bake at 400 degrees farenheit for 8 minutes. Let cool.

Combine the 8 oz cream cheese, 9 oz. cool whip, and 1 cup of sugar and mix well. Spread on the cooled pretzel crust.


Mix the jello and 2 cups boiling water together, then add the strawberries (do not thaw the strawberries beforehand!) Stir until the berries soften and the jello starts to thicken. Gently pour the jello mixtute on top of the cream cheese. Refrigerate.

Serves 16.