Oh, believe me, I cannot say enough about my cousin Maureen!! Maureen is such a sweet, kind, gentle and very creative soul! All those many years she did thee most beautiful ceramic statues!!! Not to mention one of the best house keepers on the planet! I have SO many memories of Maureen I have no idea where to EVEN begin. Gosh.... I remember as a young boy, spending pajama night at Aunt Stell's house and watching her in front of the mirror getting ready for a date. I remember her and Aunt Stell or Tom taking me to Archway for dinner, and for one of their Strawberry Shakes! Okay, who is with me , for the time frame it was in, that Archway DID make one of THEE if not the best Strawberry Shakes around? I remember her taking me out for lunches, one in particular, she picked me up at Grandma and Grandpa's house on Hoyne, and she was playing a Crystal Gale tape in her car, with the song "These Days", "Moonlight", and a few others, those songs are still some of my favorite songs. In part because of Crystal Gale and because it just restores wonderful memories to me of all the fun times I had with my cousin Maureen. Posie pitch at Aunt Stell's with her. Swimming in the pool at mom and dad's house back in Orland Park!! Maureen is one of the few people on the planet I think of and she brings instantaneous joy to my heart!! Even in sad times, when my mom was passing away in the hospital and Maureen came outside with me to have a cigarette and gave me a hug. She also bought stuffed peppers over to the house so Joe, Mom and I would all have something to eat..... okay enough sad , sad,,, moving on.... I remember going to her house on Christmas Eve for many many years and having dinner and presents there. Oh what great food, great cookies, and what, oh here we go, what a GREAT dice player!! OMG!! We played Crazy Dice or Bunco. Oh, i don't ever remember winning very often against her.. or the other queen of the dice table.. my mother.. HAAAAAAAAAAA watching those 2 play and go at it.. wow!!!!! But it was all in fun, however in hindsight, if I was of age I should of dragged the 2 of them off to a Crap's Table at the Casino! (LOL, Kidding!!) I remember her Wedding Reception... at the Garden Room in the Martinique, she married a wonderful , down to earth man, Tom!! ( and the lil people of Chicago showed up!) She has 2 gorgeous, wonderful, well mannered daughters, Melissa and Erica!! And the apple did not fall far from the tree.. Maureen is a top notch cook, just like her mother, Aunt Stell. (Well, like most of the women in this entire family come to think of it. And you know, that's in the love, the teaching, and the genetics of a family. I have met entire families where NO ONE knows how to really cook or cook well. It has horrified me personally.) I will be sharing several recipes from Maureen's kitchen, but the one that is near and dear to my heart (and everyone who I have made it for over the years) is her Strawberry Pretzel Dessert... and here is that recipe.....
Maureen's Strawberry Pretzel Dessert
First Layer:
2 cups pretzels, crushed
3/4 cup melted butter
Mix butter and pretzels together, spread in a 9x13 pan, bake at 400 degrees for 8- 10 minutes, remove from oven and allow to cool.
Second Layer:
One 8 ounce Cream Cheese
1 cup Sugar
9 ounces of Cool Whip
With a Mixer, blend the cream cheese and sugar together until smooth. Fold in the cool whip and spread on top of cooled crust. Place in refrigerator while preparing......
Third Layer:
Two 10 ounce packages of Frozen Strawberries
Two 3 ounce packages of Strawberry Jello
2 cups boiling water
Dissolve jello in boiling water and stir in frozen strawberries. When partially set (10- 15 minutes) pour over second layer and immediately cover and refrigerate OVERNIGHT! Slice into squares and serve the next day!!
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