#203 - Strawberry Pretzel Salad

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 cups crushed pretzels (place thin pretzels in plastic bag and crush coarsely with your hands--pretzels should still be in pieces, not crumbs)--do not use unsalted pretzels
3 TBSP white sugar
3/4 cup melted butter or margarine
1 - 8oz. Philly cream cheese
1 cup white sugar
1 - 8oz. container Cool Whip (thawed)
1 - 3oz. box strawberry Jell-O
1 - 6oz. box strawberry Jell-O
2 1/2 cups boiling water
3 cups fresh or frozen strawberries

In a bowl, add crushed pretzels, 3 TBSP sugar, melted butter/margarine and stir. Grease a 9 x 13 x 2 cake pan and pour pretzel mixture evenly in pan. Bake for 8 minutes at 400 degrees. Remove it from oven and cool completely. In a mixer, combine cream cheese, cup of white sugar and beat until smooth. Add Cool Whip and beat. Pour this mixture over the cooled pretzel mixture in the cake pan. In a bowl, add the two packages of strawberry Jell-O and the boiling water--stir completely until well dissolved. Add the strawberries to the Jell-O and stir. Cool it enough to refrigerate. Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes. Remove it from refrigerator and pour it over the top of the cream cheese mixture. Refrigerate overnight. Keep refrigerated.