STRAWBERRY PRETZEL SALAD

My mother's sister, Nan Vance Hamwey, made this shimmering strawberry salad every Christmas for us and I always felt like I could eat the whole thing. The contrast between the pretzel crust, the cream cheese/Cool Whip layer, and the strawberry/jello layer, topped off with sour cream and pecans none the less, makes it very special at any time on your own table.

1 cup crushed mini pretzels
3/4 cup sugar, divided
1/2 stick butter, melted
cooking spray
1 8oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 (8oz.) Cool Whip, thawed
1 (6oz.) pkg. strawberry jello
2 cups boiling water
2 (10oz.) pkgs. frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed
1 (16oz.) sour cream
1/2 cup pecans, chopped and toasted

Combine crushed pretzels, 3 tablespoons sugar, and melted butter. Press mixture into a 9X13 pan that has been lightly sprayed with cooking spray. (Mixture will be crumbly.) Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes then allow to cool completely.

Beat cream cheese, 5 tablespoons of sugar and vanilla at low speed of an electric mixer until sugar dissolves. Fold in Cool Whip; spread over pretzel layer.

Stir together jello and 2 cups boiling water until dissolved; add strawberries. Chill 1 hour or until just partially set. Spread over cream cheese layer, cover and chill for 8 hours or overnight.

Stir together sour cream and remaining 1/4 cup sugar; spread over top of strawberry layer; sprinkle with the pecans. Store in refrigerator.
Serves 12 to 15

"Once in a young lifetime one should be allowed to have as much sweetness as one can possibly want and hold."~Judith Olney