Pretzel Salad

This is another classic from Jill's kitchen with a little twist.

1st Layer
2 cups crushed pretzels
½ cup melted butter or margarine
3 Tbsp. sugar

2nd Layer
8 oz. softened cream cheese
8 oz. cool whip, thawed
1 cup sugar

3rd Layer
1 large package raspberrry-flavored gelatin
3-4 cups triple berry frozen berries
2 cups boiling water

Mix 1st Layer ingredients and pat in the bottom of a glass 9x13 pan. Bake at 400ºfor 8 minutes. While 1st Layer cools, mix 2nd layer. Beat cream cheese and sugar well and then lightly fold in the cool whip. When the pretzel layer is completely cool spread cream cheese mixture on top of pretzels, making sure to seal the edges of the cream cheese mixture to the sides of the pan. (If you don’t the jello will run down to the pretzel layer and make it soggy.) For 3rd Layer, completely dissolve the jello in the boiling water and then add the frozen fruit. Keep the fruit frozen until ready to add because it helps set the jello quicker. The jello should be syrupy, not runny. (If the jello is not syrupy, refrigerate it until it’s slightly thickened--start checking it after 10 minutes) Pour it over the cream cheese layer and chill at least 3 hours or overnight before serving.

Notes: Jill’s original recipe calls for 2 small pkg. of strawberry jello and 2 (10) oz. pkg frozen sliced strawberries, still use 2 cups boiling water. I’ve also substituted raspberry jello and frozen raspberries, and the Essential Mormon Cookbook by Julie Badger Jensen calls for 1 large package of raspberry jello, 2 (10) oz. packages of frozen raspberries or strawberries, and 1 (15 ¼) oz. can crushed pineapple, undrained for the 3rd Level.