Celebrity Resturant in Dallas drew in hundreds of ladies each day with this salad, which was served alongside chicken salad sandwiches. With Mothers Day in 4 days, what better way to celebrate Mom, ( oh my, that’s me, I think I will make me a strawberry pretzel salad) with a delicious salad that is good enough to have for dessert.
2 cups thin pretzel sticks, coarsely crushed
3/4 cup butter, melted
3/4 plus 2 tables sugar, divided
1 (8 0z) package cream cheese, softened
1 (8 oz) tub of Cool Whip, thawed
2 1/2 cups cold water, divided
1 (6 oz) package strawberry jello (not sugar free)
2 cups frozen sliced strawberries, thawed and drained well
Preheat oven to 350.
Spread pretzels evenly in the bottom of a 9×13″ baking dish. In a small bowl, combine butter and 2 tables sugar and pour evenly over pretzels; bake for 10 minutes.
Remove from oven and allow pretzels to cool to room temp.
In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, whipped topping and remaining 3/4 cup sugar at medium speed with mixer until smooth. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over pretzels.
In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups cold water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add strawberry gelatin, stirring until completely dissolved. Remove from heat; add remaining 1/2 cup cold water and sliced strawberries. Let cool. Pour over cream cheese mixture. Chill overnight, covered. Cut into squares to serve and garnish with whipping cream and fresh strawberries.
