STRAWBERRY PRETZEL SALAD

Last night I made a salad that my mom has has been making since I was little. It has been at almost every Thanksgiving and Christmas that I can think of. I can remember one year, my cousin's son, Jalen, lost a tooth while eating it. I hope that doesn't happen tonight when I take this salad to the youth group pot luck!

Unfortunately, I didn't have the time or patience to look for my Mom's recipe (love you, Mom!), so I used this one instead. I used it after doing a search on pinterest which is now my go to for pretty much anything. But without further ado...

Jello Pretzel Salad

by Lisa Poulsen

2 1/2 c. pretzels (crushed fine)

3 Tbsp. brown sugar

3/4 c. butter

1 (6 oz) pkg instant strawberry jello

1 10 oz. pkg. frozen strawberries or small container (16 oz) sliced fresh strawberries 

1 ( 8 oz ) pkg cream cheese

1 c. sugar

8 oz. cool whip

1. Combine pretzels, brown sugar, and melted butter and press into a greased 9 X 13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. - I started by using my handy dandy new food processor to crush up the pretzels. That thing worked like a charm!

2. Make jello according to directions and add the strawberries. Refrigerate until partially set. *If it is not set enough it will leak through your cream cheese layer and make your pretzels soggy.

3. Facetime with you friends who just got a new iPhone. - Although this step is not required, it was a lot of fun!

4. Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Blend in cool whip. Spread over cooled crust make sure you spread completely to the edges to create a seal so your jello doesn't leak through. - Almost done!

Not blood, jello stains.

5. Clean up. - But be careful while cleaning a food processor, those things are dangerous! There is nothing I wouldn't do in the name of a good salad. Sacrifice. 

6. Pour jello over cream cheese layer. Refrigerate. - It should say wait, and wait, and wait for your jello to set and then get too tired to wait any longer and at 11 pm put it on the top anyway. Or just don't make this at 9 pm if you want to go to bed at 10 pm. Oops. 

Don't worry. (I know it was going to just ruin your day if I didn't tell you everything was fine.) The jello set nicely and all was right in the world. I just hope it tastes good. Kids are the most honest judges you will ever find. Maybe if I bribe them with candy they will go easy on me?