Strawberry Pretzel Salad and My Annual Tea Party

My annual tea party for our aqua group was held this past week. 

Everyone in the group brings something for the tea party, and we had a wonderful assortment of delicious foods.  We had shrimp and cocktail sauce, deviled eggs, olives, pickles, ham puffs, ham rollups, chicken salad, pasta salad, spinach salad, strawberry pretzel salad, vegetables and dip, fruit, and an array of desserts, from pastel macarons, Mounds macaroons, palmiers, cheese blintzes, cream puffs, and homemade candies.  I provided a variety of teas,  filled teapots with flower arrangements, and made the strawberry pretzel salad.  The ladies love dressing up and wearing hats, or fascinators.  It really is a special time.

After the party, everyone takes home the variety of leftovers, and I saved a few slices of the strawberry pretzel salad.  I used my little snack set that my friend Linda gave me years ago.  It was a chilly day this past weekend and I had my personal tea party inside.  

Sorry, but my slices are messy because I was in a hurry while slicing for the party.

The tables were set during the week and the napkins held the plastic utensils.  There were 26 ladies, and although my house isn't large, it works.  

My friend, Joyce, in the top left photo,  organizes the parties and arranges the hostesses for the bimonthly themed parties.  We sing Happy Birthday to those having birthdays  I said the prayer and then we went through the buffet line.  The bottom left photo is of one of our aqua teachers, Ruth,  who brought me some tulips, and surprised the ladies by coming.  I also take Ruth's dance, and her total body workout classes.   We have wonderful instructors who want to keep us fit and moving.

Here are all the ladies enjoying lunch, fellowship,  and a cup of tea

Yield: depends on how you slice it, anywhere from 15 on up

Author: Kitty, but recipe is adapted from Natasha's Kitchen

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

Is Strawberry Pretzel Salad a salad or a dessert? Whenever I would go to The Chocolate Angel Tearoom, I always ordered it as part of my trio, and saved it after I finished my scoop of chicken salad and broccoli salad.

Ingredients

• 6 oz strawberry gelatin
• 2 cups boiling water
• 12 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 cups crushed salted pretzels, (about 4 cups whole pretzels)
• 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 8 oz frozen whipped topping, thawed in the fridge
• 1 lb fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced

Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine strawberry gelatin with 2 cups boiling water and stir until completely dissolved. Set aside to cool to room temperature. You will not add any cold water to this.
3. Crush pretzels in a sturdy ziploc bag, using a rolling pin.
4. In a medium saucepan, melt butter, then add 1/4 cup sugar and stir. Mix in crushed pretzels. Transfer to a 13 x 9" baking dish, pressing the pretzel mix evenly over the bottom of the dish, and bake for 10 minutes at 350, then cool to room temperature.
5. When pretzels have cooled, use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar on med/high speed until fluffy and white. Fold in the thawed whipped topping until no streaks of cream cheese remain. Spread mixture over cooled pretzels, spreading to the edges of the dish to create a tight seal. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
6. Hull and slice the strawberries, and then stir them into your room temperature strawberry gelatin. Pour and spread the strawberry gelatin mixture evenly over the cream cheese layer and refrigerate until it is set, about 2-4 hours.

Notes

I did make this a day ahead and covered it, and sliced it before serving. It does keep well for a few days.

I have also made this using sugar free gelatin (2 small boxes) and using a sugar substitute with the cream cheese.

Late Breaking News!!  

Granddaughter Harper won 2nd in the whole State of Texas in her mountain biking race competition!! The first place girl beat her by 4 seconds.   Middle photo is of my son, Kevin, who is one of her coaches and bikes with her year round.  Bottom photo is Hayden, the best little sister and supporter, and who wears her cowgirl boots all the time and bought a new cowgirl hat.  She's posing at their vacation home that they rented for the race.    

Thank you for your visit!  xo

I'm sharing with these parties:

Talking About It Tuesdays

Love Your Creativity Link Party

Full Plate Thursday at Miz Helen's Country Cottage