Strawberry Pretzel Salad

This is one of my favorite salads…I remember having something like this dish at my cousin Renae’s Bridesmaids Brunch, at this super cute restaurant in Alabama, almost 10 years ago. It was sooo delicious but I hadn’t had it again until I moved to Iowa..and lo and behold it’s in the Farmer’s Family cookbook!! I have made this a few times but finally had time to document it :)

Bottom Layer:
2 ½ cups of crushed pretzels (I guess you could use a food processor, but I prefer to put a bunch in a plastic baggie and pound them to death!! Especially if the Farmer is taking a nap!! Hehe)
3 tbsp. of brown sugar
¾ cup of melted butter (this is where the recipe goes from “could be healthy” to “artery clogging goodness”
Mix these ingredients. Press in a 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes (and whatever you do, don’t take it out of the oven and accidentally place it on a hot burner on the stove top..this makes the pretzels very hard and you won’t be able to cut it..not that I actually did that or anything..just a tip!! ;)

Middle Layer:
¾ cup of sugar
8 oz of cream cheese
8 oz of Cool Whip
Blend ingredients until smooth. Spread on bottom layer.

Top Layer:
6 oz pkg of strawberry jello
10 oz frozen strawberries
2 cups of boiling water
Mix jello in boiling water. Stir in frozen strawberries. Chill until partially set. Pour on top of the middle layer and refrigerate until completely set.