Kookie Kellie: Strawberry Pretzel Salad

I usually do the grocery shopping alone during the week or on the weekend when Adam can watch the girls. But during the past nausea, don't know what to cook phase I went through, I really needed assistance. Encouragement, really, from Adam to pick meals to cook. I was satisfied with saltines, but the family could not survive on just crackers. Now that I'm feeling better and back in control of the kitchen, we've made a couple of family grocery shopping trips since we are in the habit of it and it causes problems. Adam goes down rows and points out what he would like to eat or what treats he got to eat as a kid. I'm strictly business. I've got a list and a menu. His favorite place to hang out is the meat section. Aubrie is usually walking around with me and he has Emilie in the cart. Aubrie and I will be all the way down in the cereal section with our hands full and we'll have to walk all the way back to the meat section to put our items in the cart and hear his plea as to what is on sale and what he would like to eat. I usually give in. I especially have to give in because his birthday is coming up and I like to spoil him. This past week, ribeye was on sale so we grilled out last Sunday.

On the menu was steak, potatoes, corn on the cob, and strawberry pretzel salad. The first time I heard about strawberry pretzel salad was when I started working in Rutherford County Schools. These Southern women talked about it all the time and I thought it sounded gross. I don't really like pretzels. But I finally had a chance to have it at my friend Shannon's house and it was delicious!! It is, of course, a Paula Deen recipe. You'll have to give it a try. Everyone around here omits the pineapple, so I did it as well.

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

from Paula Deen, of course!

2 cups crushed pretzels
3/4 cup melted butter
3 tablespoons sugar, plus 3/4 cup sugar
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
1 (8-ounce) container whipped topping
2 (3-ounce) packages strawberry gelatin dessert mix
2 cups boiling water
2 (10-ounce) packages frozen strawberries
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple
Whipped topping or whipped cream, to garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

For the crust, mix the pretzels, butter, and 3 tablespoons of sugar. Press this mixture into a 9 by 13-inch pan and bake for 7 minutes. Set aside and allow to cool.

In a mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese and 3/4 cup of sugar. Fold in the whipped topping, and spread over the cooled crust. Refrigerate until well chilled.

In a small bowl, dissolve the gelatin in the boiling water, and allow to cool slightly. Add the strawberries and pineapple, and pour over the cream cheese mixture. Refrigerate until serving time.
To serve, cut slices and serve with a dollop of whipped topping.