Strawberry Pretzel Jello Salad with Unsweetened Strawberries

Serves 14 in about 2 hours. The pot starts with cream cheese, then butter.

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups crushed pretzels (leave some small chunks)
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• ¾ cup unsalted butter, melted
• 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 cups whipped cream topping (like cool whip)
• 2 (16 oz) bags frozen unsweetened sliced strawberries (or 2 pounds of fresh, sliced)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 (3 oz) packages strawberry gelatin
• 2 cups boiling water

Method

1. Warm oven to 350° F.
2. Stir in the crushed pretzels, sugar, and melted butter to a bowl and stir well to combine.
3. Stir in the pretzel mixture to a 9"x13" baking dish and spread in an even layer across the bottom. Press the crust down into the pan.
4. Cook at 350°F for 10 minutes. keep it nearby to cool completely.
5. In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until combined.
6. Stir in the whipped cream topping and mix well.
7. Smooth in an even layer over the cooled pretzel crust. Be sure to cover entire crust to the sides to prevent the gelatin from seeping into the crust.
8. Chill in the fridge while making the jello topping.
9. Stir in strawberries to a bowl and add 1 Tablespoon of sugar to them and mix well. keep it nearby.
10. Dissolve both boxes of jello in 2 cups of boiling water.
11. Stir in the strawberries to the gelatin and stir.
12. Set in the fridge to chill, but not long enough to set. Check on it often so you can catch it before it sets. It can be a little thickened, but you just want it cold enough so it doesn't melt the cream cheese layer.
13. Tip in the chilled strawberry topping over the cream cheese layer evenly.
14. Put back in the fridge and chill until set.
15. Cut into squares and serve with a dollop of whipped cream topping.

More dessert ideas are in the dessert collection.