When I was a kid, holidays and events were typically casual potluck affairs comprised mostly of beans and Jello.

The Hobo Bean Salad

Baked Beans

Green Beans with Fried Onions and Mushroom Soup

I don't remember the names of the Jello dishes only that they were often called 'salads'. (This seems odd to me as an adult who never considers adding Jello to a salad.) The cause for celebration changed, but the dishes never did. Aunt Judy, who never learned to turn on her stove, always brought a scary Jello 'Salad' that was an unnatural green color. Aunt Becky was the reigning queen of the Nine Bean Salad. I suspect her objective was the variety of beans rather than a tasty dish.

One family potluck stands out from all the others - a 4th of July picnic. I was nine. The usual aunts and uncles were all there - it was another bean and Jello parade. My Aunt Red, the sophisticated, never-a-hair-out-of-place, slightly prissy aunt in our decidedly unsophisticated, blue-collar family glided out of the kitchen with a foil-covered 9x13 pan. She carefully placed it among the desserts - right next to my favorite Ambrosia Salad. When she pulled the foil back, I was swept away by the beauty it had concealed. Strawberry slices of all shapes and sizes were suspended in a clear pool of Jello the same color as Aunt Red's hair. I was desperate to try a slice, but couldn't bring myself to wreck the piece of art before my eyes - even in the name of my insatiable 9-year-old sweet tooth.

I kept staring at the floating strawberries, while Aunt Red described her creation to the crowd that had gathered. Did she say 'pretzel crust'? Pretzels? With Jello? Oh, it was like the shriek of a needle scratching an LP record. It was too good to be true afterall. I was too young to appreciate the nuanced combination of savory and sweet. And chocolate dipped pretzels were still a thing of the future. Of course, the dish was an instant sensation with the adults and became a potluck regular thereafter.

As an adult, I often crave the savory-sweet combination. (Ben and Jerry's Chubby Hubby anyone?) So this year I'm making Strawberry Pretzel Dessert for our 4th of July picnic. The recipe that follows was my mom's. No credit is given, but I suspect she got it from Aunt Red.

Strawberry Pretzel Dessert

Ingredients:

• 2 cups finely crushed thin pretzel sticks (10 oz bag)
• 3 T granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups boiling water
• 1 package strawberry Jello (6 0z)
• 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup whipped topping*
• 2 1/2 cups sliced strawberries, fresh of frozen

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Combine crushed pretzels, 3 tablespoons sugar, and butter. Evenly press the mixture into a 9x13 cake pan to form a crust. Bake 6-8 minutes until lightly browned. Cool completely.

In a medium bowl, pour boiling water over Jello. Stir until Jello is melted. Cool to room temperature.

Beat cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, and whipped topping until thoroughly combined. Spread over cooled crust and refrigerate.

Add strawberries to cooled Jello and let thicken slightly. Spread over cream cheese layer. Return pan to refrigerator until Jello is firm.

Cut into squares and serve. Enjoy!

*note:  My family always used Cool Whip, but I plan to give mine an upgrade with real whipped cream. I think Aunt Red would approve.