Pretzel Salad

This is a Utah-Mormon staple. While I consider it more as a dessert, this special treat is often served as a "salad" with meals. I love the salty/sweet mix. Yum, yum!

INGREDIENTS
2 cups crushed pretzels
3/4 cup margarine, melted
2 teaspoons white sugar
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
3/4 cup white sugar
4 1/2 ounces frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 (6 ounce) package strawberry or rasberry flavored gelatin
2 cups boiling water
2 (10 ounce) packages frozen strawberries or rasberries

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

2. In a medium bowl, mix crushed pretzels, margarine and sugar.

3. Press crushed pretzel mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish, and bake in the preheated oven 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

4. Blend together the cream cheese and sugar. Fold in whipped topping and spread evenly over cooled pretzel mixture.

5. In a medium bowl, dissolve the strawberry flavored gelatin in boiling water. Mix in strawberries and set aside to cool for 15 minutes.

6. Pour gelatin mixture over cream cheese mixture and refrigerate until set, about 4 hours.

You can top with Cool Whip or just leave as is to serve!

OPTION: Use a can of crush pinapple, but drain well, use the juice in the gelatin mixture (lessen the water for how much pinapple juice you use) and mix some of the crushed pineapple in the cream cheese mixture