#COOKING WITH CLORIS--GUEST AUTHOR AMY BOYLES AND STRAWBERRY PRETZEL SALAD

Amy Boyles grew up reading Judy Blume and Christopher Pike. Somehow, the combination of coming of age books and teenage murder mysteries made her want to be a writer. She now spends her time chasing two toddlers while trying to stir up trouble in Silver Springs, Alabama, the fictional town where Dylan Apel and her sisters are trying to master witchcraft, tame their crazy relatives, and juggle their love lives. Learn more about Amy and her books here. 

Hey y'all, if you haven't tried Strawberry Pretzel Salad, boy are you in for a treat. It's like eating a slice of heaven topped with a little more heaven. Seriously. It's sweet, it's savory, and it’s salty—all good things in food, and even better if we're talking about qualities to be found in a good man. That's if you ask Dylan Apel, the heroine of my Bless Your Witch series.

Not that she has time for men, as she's too busy learning how to be a witch. Dylan's a good ole' Southern gal who likes her tea sweet, her biscuits smothered in sausage gravy, and her shrimp cooked with a side of grits. Of course, she would still have time for potlucks if she weren’t so busy trying to avoid being murdered in Scared Witchless, the first book in the series.

Which reminds me, Strawberry Pretzel Salad is perfect for any kind of get together—a party, church function, even a holiday—it is without a doubt a solid-hit sort of dish—the kind where everyone goes home happy and two pounds heavier.

Oops. There goes that diet I've been trying to start since New Year's. Oh well. If you're like me and haven't started shedding those pounds, what's one more dessert going to hurt? Nothing! So get started putting together this recipe. I promise, you wont' be disappointed. And if you're like my sweet Southern sister witches, be sure to have a nice tall glass of sweetened iced tea on stand-by. It'll make this dish all the merrier, especially since the blistering dog days of summer are coming up. So get to swinging on your front porch, slap a slice of dessert on a plate, and watch the sun shrink into the horizon as you enjoy yummy goodness.

Strawberry Pretzel Salad:

Total Time: 42 min

Prep: 30 min

Inactive: 2 min

Cook: 10 min

What y'all need to round up (also known as Ingredients):

2 cups crushed pretzels

3/4 cup melted butter

3 tablespoons sugar, plus 3/4 cup sugar

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese

1 (8-ounce) container whipped topping

2 (3-ounce) packages strawberry gelatin dessert mix

2 cups boiling water

2 (10-ounce) packages frozen strawberries

1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple

Whipped topping or whipped cream, to garnish

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 bake for 7 minutes. 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, 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 slightly. Add the strawberries and pineapple, and pour over the cream cheese mixture. Refrigerate until serving time.

To serve, cut slices and serve with a dollop of whipped topping.

Scared Witchless

Dylan Apel is having one heck of a summer. She just learned she’s a witch—and she’s hardly the only one in town. 

She knows her hand-made clothing is special, but magical? Discovering that she's a witch is bad enough, but when Dylan realizes there are folks who’ll kill to possess her witchy powers—that’s enough to make a girl want to hide out in the back of her boutique. Only problem is, Queen Witch is in town, itchin’ to make sure Dylan learns to cast spells, and this witch won’t take no for an answer.

Dylan must learn fast—someone just killed her best client with a poisoned gown meant for Dylan. Was it the tall, mysterious hottie in black, who's suddenly everywhere she goes? After all, the first thing Roman Bane says is he doesn't like witches. Is he here to save her, or kill her?

Dylan is barely getting a handle on her new powers when she finds herself surrounded by witches bossing her this way and that, local police nosing about, and wary clients—death by clothing is not good for business. And the solstice is coming … a time when witch powers are at their peak. Can Dylan survive the chaos long enough to figure out her new life?

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