Strawberry Pretzel Salad

These are the exact direction that I used when it turned out great at Christmas...see note at the bottom about fresh berries before beginning. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. For the crust, mix the pretzels, butter, and 3 tablespoons of sugar. Press this mixture into a 9 by 13-inch pan and and spray with PAM. Then bake for 7 minutes. If crust seems too crumbly then add another minute or two. Set aside and allow to cool. In a mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese and 3/4 cup of sugar. Fold in the whipped topping with a spatula, and spread over the cooled crust. Refrigerate until well chilled. In a small bowl, dissolve the gelatin in the boiling water, and allow to cool (about 40 minutes but not too long or the jello will be more like finger jello). Add the thawed strawberries and pour over the cream cheese mixture. Refrigerate until serving time. To serve, cut slices and serve with a dollop of whipped topping. NOTE: I have also used fresh strawberries with sugar sprinkled on and soaked in those juices. Very yummy!!! Also, I saw where someone added another 8 oz. of Cool Whip added to the Jello itself and that sounds fantastic too!