Raspberry Pretzel Salad

This has become one of my FAVE holiday recipes. I had the delight of eating this yummy dish at my first Thanksgiving dinner with my husband's family. It's a tradition for them to serve it, and now it just doesn't feel like turkey day without some on my plate! It makes an appearance in my book, 101 Things To Do With Salad, as a strawberry variation. The best thing about this "salad" is that it is really more like dessert!

Raspberry Pretzel Salad

2 cups chopped/crushed pretzels

2/3 cup butter or margarine, melted

1/4 cup sugar

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, room temp

1 cup sugar

1 (8-ounce) container Cool Whip, thawed

1 large box raspberry gelatin

1 1/2 cups boiling water

2 bags frozen raspberries, mostly thawed

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix together the pretzels, butter, and sugar. Press mixture into the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch glass pan. Bake 6 minutes and then let cool.

In a bowl, mix the cream cheese, sugar, and Cool Whip. Spread over pretzel crust. In another bowl, combine the gelatin and boiling water until gelatin dissolves. Stir in raspberries (and liquid) and then pour over the cream cheese layer. Chill 3-4 hours or until set. Makes around 10-12 servings.

TIP: You might try DOUBLING the cream cheese layer to make it EXTRA good! :)