RASPBERRY PRETZEL JELLO SALAD

This is a great recipe to make with nieces and nephews, little cousins, or just a gal who needs help making a simple dessert. The ingredients are cheap, there aren't many steps and the layers make for a fun look!

When rolling out my pretzels for the crust, keep in mind that you can craft this to your liking. I like my dish having a crunch with each bite. However, if you like a more mild pretzel taste with a constancy of smashed Graham Crackers, then roll them out more finely.

Spreading the cool whip, cream cheese and sugar mixture is the most fun part. There's some strange satisfying feeling about spreading cool whips and icings. It's creative, and sometimes messy, yet there's a technique to it of how it's supposed to look.

Working in a bakery, I learned that icings are supposed to have a silky ribbon look. My best attempt is the picture below. Even though the raspberry jello mixture will cover the cool whip mixture, I like the follow the belief of treating and presenting foods how they are supposed to be treated, whether they are seen or they disappear within your creation.

Make sure the icing completely covers the pretzel crust on every side of the pan so the jello doesn't seep through.

Next is making the jello! I don't really ever eat jello other than this dessert, so it felt weird pouring a the bag of mix into water. If you're the same, bare with me, because it's worth it. Adding the frozen raspberries make this jello more berry flavored and add the perfect pop of texture the dessert needs.

The sides of the the pan should look like this below. The layers are separate, and the jello should not touch the pretzel crust.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Cups crushed pretzels (after crushed)

• 3/4 cup melted butter

• 3 Tbsp white sugar

• 18 oz package cream cheese, room temperature (you can microwave for a little bit if it's not yet to an easily mixable consistency)

• 1 Cup white sugar

• 18 oz container frozen whipped topping (I used the less fat version of this as well)

• 2 Cups water

• 16 oz package raspberry flavored jello

• 2 packages frozen raspberries

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Stir together crushed pretzels, melted butter and 3 tablespoons sugar; mix well and press mixture into the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish with a spatula. To crush the pretzels, I put them in a gallon plastic bag, seal it, then roll it over with your rolling pin. I like the pretzel to be not be finely crushed so it has a crunch to each bite.

3. Bake 8–10 minutes, until set. Wrap in food plastic and set in fridge to cool overnight or in freezer for 1 hr. to cool.

4. In a large mixing bowl, cream together cream cheese and 1 cup sugar. Fold in whipped topping. Spread mixture onto cooled crust.

5. Bring 2 cups of water to boil then pour in jello. Stir in frozen raspberries and allow to set briefly. When mixture is about the consistency of egg whites, pour and spread over cream cheese layer. Refrigerate for at least 4 hrs. or until set.

#GALTIP: Try preparing ahead of time and cook the pretzel crust the day or evening before you'd like to serve. If pretzel crust isn't set, the pan will be of soup-like consistency.