I can't remember when I was introduced to this, but I'm sure it was at some kind of church potluck luncheon or meeting. I loved it. When I found that I had the recipe in the family cookbook my sister put together, I was excited. I made it once before, then made it again to share with a family at church who needed a meal. It makes a 9x13 pan, so I split it into two smaller pans. Much better for a family dessert. Don't kid yourself. This really is a dessert, not a fruit salad.
I know this combination of food may seem bizarre to many, but I love it. Think of it as a type of cheesecake with a twist: a deliciously salty-sweet crust, a creamy middle, and a fruity topping.
Some things I would be aware of. If you make your pretzel crumbs too fine and press down the crust too much it will be too hard to cut. On the contrary, if the pretzels are too coarse, the crust will just crumble apart. I'm still working on getting the perfect consistency. I think if I had not pressed my crust too much it might have been just right.
Also, if you use the full (large) box of Jell-O, the topping is quite thick and falls right off the creamy layer when you serve it. I prefer a softer topping, so I only used about 2/3 of the box of Jell-O. I thought it was plenty thick.
Brett made some negative comments about my Jell-O when I was making it (he, like Anne, prefers unadulterated Jell-O), but I noticed that he went for seconds when I served it with dinner.
The recipe calls for strawberry, but I made raspberry Jell-O with frozen raspberries.
Pretzel Jell-O Salad
Source: Don
2 cups mashed pretzels
3/4 cup soft margarine
3 tablespoons sugar
Combine and spread in 9"x13" pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 8 minutes. Watch so it doesn't get too done.
8 ounces cream cheese
1 cup sugar
8 ounces sugar
Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add Cool Whip and spread on top of cooled crust. Put in refrigerator 1/2 hour until firm.
1 6-ounce package strawberry Jell-O (large box)
2 cups boiling water
1 large or 2 small boxed frozen, sliced strawberries
Dissolve Jell-O in water. Add partially thawed strawberries and juice. Stir and break up strawberry chunks. Pour over cheese layer and put in refrigerator until set.
Don's notes: This concoction is DEVINE! It can be served as a fancy Jell-O salad side dish, but it is sweet enough to be a dessert in itself.
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2 comments:
undefiled jell-o is a better description - but i'd at least try it :) I'm getting better about chunks in jello in my old age :)
Yes, I meant no offense. I do think you may have liked it. And I think it would still be yummy, possibly even better if you took the idea of the pretzel crust and creamy filling then added your own fruit sauce.
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