Strawberry-Pretzel Jello Salad

Description

A welcome alternative to Festive Jell-o

Ingredients

2 cups crushed pretzels
11 Tbsp. + 1/4 cup sugar, divided
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
Cooking spray
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. vanilla extract
8 oz. frozen whipped topping, thawed (1 container)
6 oz. strawberry gelatin (1 packet)
2 cups boiling water
10 oz. frozen strawberries in light syrup, thawed (1 package)
16 oz. sour cream (1 container)
1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F

1. Make the crust. Combine 2 cups crushed pretzels, 6 tablespoons sugar, and 1/2 cup melted butter. Press mixture on bottom of a 13- x 9-inch pan coated with cooking spray. (Mixture will be crumbly.) Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes; cool completely.
2. Make cream cheese layer. Beat softened cream cheese, 5 tablespoons sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla at low speed with an electric mixer until sugar dissolves. Fold in whipped topping. Spread over pretzel layer.
3. Make gelatin layer. Stir together gelatin and 2 cups boiling water until dissolved; add strawberries. Chill 1 hour or until partially set. Spread gelatin mixture over cream cheese layer; chill 8 hours or until set.
4. Make toppings. Stir together sour cream and remaining 1/4 cup sugar; spread over top of strawberry layer, then top with pecans.

Notes

To keep the pretzel crust from getting soggy make sure to spread the cream cheese layer all the way to the edges of the pan to seal in the pretzel crust and keep it from getting soggy. Baking the crust until firm and taking time to let it cool completely before topping will also help keep things crisp.