STRAWBERRY PRETZEL DESSERT

As I was gathering ingredients for this dessert, I bent over to reach in my refrigerator to pull out the freezer drawer. I was searching for my frozen strawberries. I had a flashback to the old days.

Our house had an all-purpose kitchen. It was the largest room and all family decisions were made at the dining table. Besides the usual items you find in kitchens, Momma’s also had a washer and dryer, hot water heater closet, dining room table with six chairs, two rocking chairs and the longest chest freezer made. The appliances also served as extra tabletops to lay food out for serving when we had large gatherings, which was often.

Momma got up every morning making biscuits and digging in the freezer to find some item to get supper started. It was not unusual to walk through the doorway and see her leaning far into the freezer as she rearranged packages to find her targeted main dish. She cooked seven days a week but the level of food in the freezer never seemed to move. It was filled to the brim as they used to say. With her year-round gardens all over the property, it was constantly being refilled.

A couple of times a year, it would have to be defrosted because of the ice build-up on the inside. Everyone in the house got a stomach ache during this time. It meant that we would have to remove everything and put in big tubs on the table. It would turn into a soggy mess. Usually, Daddy with his long arms would lean way over to wipe out the bottom as the ice would melt and stray peas or other unidentified objects would be rolling around. Then there was a matter of getting it all back in and closing that lid. It brings to mind my suitcase when I travel – it is always a challenge to close.

The last time we had to complete this job was when my parents downsized in 2004 and it was determined that no one except a restaurant needed a freezer that size. My adult children were all involved in their move, almost every step of the way. It was bittersweet and a sad time for all of us because this was where we celebrated most holidays and had dinner every Sunday for years.

So, as I proceed to make this delicious three-layer Strawberry Pretzel Dessert, I think of those days with Momma and Daddy. I wish I could walk in that old kitchen and lay my 9 x 13 dish right on top of that freezer.

I hope you try it or maybe you have already. Please let me know if you do!

Yield: 12 Servings

STRAWBERRY PRETZEL DESSERT

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Three-layer dessert; the first layer is a crunchy pretzel bottom, the second layer is a sweet Cream cheese mixture, and it is topped with a syrupy Strawberry Topping.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes

Total Time 28 minutes

Ingredients

1st LAYER

• 2 cups pretzels, crushed
• 3/4 cup butter, melted
• 3 tablespoons sugar

2nd LAYER

• 1 package 8 ounces Philadelphia Cream Cheese, room temperature
• 1 carton Cool Whip 8 ounces
• 1 cup sugar

3rd LAYER

• 1  package Strawberry Jello 6 ounces
• 2 cups boiling water
• 1 container frozen strawberries in syrup (about 15 ounces)

Instructions

1st Layer

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly spray 9x 13 pan with nonstick spray. Stir the sugar into the crushed pretzels. Add the melted butter. Press into the prepared pan. Bake 8 minutes. cool.

2nd Layer

In mixing bowl, combine cream cheese and sugar. Beat 3-4 minutes and scrape down the sides with a spatula. Fold in the Cool Whip. Spread over the cooled layer of pretzel crumbs.

3rd Layer

Pour the Jello and the boiling water into a large bowl and stir until it is all dissolved. Add the frozen strawberries. Chill until it is slightly thickened, about 30-45 minutes. Pour over the cream cheese layer. Cover and refrigerate about 3 hours.

Notes

To cut calories, use diet jello, low-fat cream cheese, and either 1 quart fresh strawberries or plain sliced frozen strawberries.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 355Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 50mgSodium: 273mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 1gSugar: 28gProtein: 3g

“Food is the ingredient that binds us together.”

-Unknown