Holy crud. I feel like I’m in some sort of a time warp or something. How can it be the third week of November already? It was just September! Time is just flying (and I’m not really okay with that.) Do you think I have a say? Yeah, I didn’t either. Sigh…. We’ve been spending most of our free time (what the heck is free time??) raising money to go on our volunteer trip in June. (If you want to read more about this adventure, click HERE.)
The third week in November means it’s Secret Recipe Club time again. This reveal day actually came at a perfect time for me. My kids and I went to my Mom’s house over the weekend for an early Thanksgiving celebration. My sister is in town from Chicago and it was so nice getting together with my siblings and eating a delicious meal. And man! can my Mom cook! So it was a no brainer that I was going to make a dessert recipe. I typically bring desserts everywhere I go. (Does that surprise any of you??)
My super secret assignment this month? The Kitchen Witch. This is not the first time I’ve stalked checked out Rhonda’s blog. It is amazing and I’ve been following her for some time now. There are about a million recipes on her blog that I would love to make. Seriously! A million!
No wonder I adore Rhonda’s blog. Rhonda loves food, to travel, her kids and riding her Harley. She’s had quite the life, in the Air Force, living in Germany, traveling through Europe on a Harley, retiring in Montana, loving on her kids and Grandkids and her quirky, OCD English Setter (loved that!)
My chosen recipe changes every time I go to Rhonda’s blog. At first I was going to make her Banana Cake with Maple Caramel Sauce. Then I decided I was going to make her Biscochitos. Then last week Rhonda posted Bacon Wrapped Roasted Potatoes with Chipotle Aioli. Ummmm, hello! Yes, please. But I wanted to take a dessert over my Mom’s house and I didn’t want Rhonda to think I just made the first recipe I saw (since she just posted it). So, I’m definitely making those at a later date!
Then I saw her Pretzel Jell-o Salad. Oh man. I made this years back when I was in graduate school. It was one of my favorite desserts and for some reason, when I moved back to Oregon I never made it again. What the heck was I thinking?! This dessert is delicious!
So Pretzel Jell-O Salad. Usually anything with Jell-O in it scares me a little. Maybe it’s because I OD’d on it in the 70’s. We had Jell-O everything back then. Yikes! But combine the saltiness of the pretzels, then a delicious, creamy cheesecakey layer and top it with Jell-O and strawberries? Yum!
Rhonda added some notes on her recipe that she would have changed. I took her expertise to heart and did what she said. So I doubled the pretzel layer and pushed it up the sides of the pan a little. So glad I did. I liked the extra crunch and saltiness of the pretzel crust.
Thanks, Rhonda, for this one! It’s a keeper!
Ingredients
- 4 cups crushed pretzels
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) butter, melted
- 1 large box (6 ounces), strawberry Jell-O
- 2 cups pineapple juice
- 1-2 cups sliced strawberries
- 1 8 oz. package cream cheese
- 1 8 oz. container whipped topping (like cool whip)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Line a 12” spring form pan with parchment paper (if desired).
- Mix crushed pretzels, sugar and butter in a medium bowl. Press the pretzel mix into the bottom of the pan, bake for 10 minutes. When done let cool completely.
- In a small saucepan bring pineapple juice to a boil, add fruit and return juice to a boil. Stir in Jell-O until Jell-O completely dissolves. Chill until set but still pourable.
- Meanwhile with an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and powdered sugar together until smooth, add whipped cream and beat on low until well blended.
- Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over pretzel crust, top with Jell-O and fruit. Refrigerate until completely set. This is great to make the day before so it's chilled and ready to slice.
- Enjoy!
I’ve seen this around but never tasted or made it but it sounds sooo good esp with the salty pretzel crust. What a winning combo!
Oh man this looks awesome! I have never had anything like this. It’s good salad in the name so I can have it for dinner, right?
Ha! Of course. And fruit!
This is such a pretty dessert! I love it!!
LOVE Rhonda’s blog – isn’t her photography beautiful. I always browse it with drool dripping down my chin…ok…TMI.
You ca’t beat salty + sweet!!
My husband and I have a recipe for this that is pretty popular for potlucks. Glad you liked this recipe also. Great SRC post!
I love this recipe!
I don’t know about you but something about the holidays evokes both good and bad memories of Jello. I OD’d on it in the 70’s also. So glad that you made the crust so it went up the sides, I still haven’t re-made it to see if that made a difference. I really need too. And thank you for the glowing words, it warmed my heart in this frigid Montana weather.
Ha! So true. Thanks again for the great recipe! Stay warm!
This is the nicest looking pretzel jello salad that I have ever seen! 🙂 It looks so good! It has also been years since I have eaten this dessert, I think I feel a craving coming on! 🙂
You have a beautiful family and blog! 🙂
Cathy
I think this would be an awesome dessert for my family that loves a cheesecake variety around the holidays. Plus it looks pretty simple to whip up!