Strawberry Pretzel Salad

My parents started making this salad a few years ago and since then it has become a regular in their house.  I made it last week and forgot how good it was!  I made it on a Tuesday and someone requested I make it again for Sunday! 

2 c. crushed pretzels
1c. and 3 TBS. sugar
3/4 c. melted butter
8oz. cream cheese
8 oz. cool whip
1 pkg. strawberry or raspberry jello
20 oz. frozen strawberries or raspberries (my Walmart only has 16 oz. frozen bags of whole strawberries, I used one bag of those, microwaved them for about 10 seconds, just enough so I could slice them, but they still needed to be mostly frozen to set up the jello, so don't thaw them!)
2 cups boiling water

Mix the pretzels, 3 TBS. sugar and butter together.  Press into the bottom of a 9x13 pan and bake for 9 minutes at 350.

Mix together cream cheese, cool whip and 1 c. sugar and cool whip. Spread on cooled pretzel crust.

Dissolve jello in boiling water, then add berries and stir till thaw.  Let it sit in the fridge until it just barely starts to set up.  When it's barely starting to set up, spread on the other layers in the 9x13 and let it set up the rest of the way.

I think this is even better the 2nd day when the bottom layer is a little 'softer'...
I do have to admit I had to make this a couple times before the layers set up nicely.  But, the good thing is, even when it doesn't set up, it's still yummy to eat! You just have to use a bowl!