Recipe(tried): Easter Side Dishes: Pretzel Salad, Green Bean Orange Salad

Mom is making the ham and potatoes, and I am bringing some side dishes as follows:

Carrot-Sweet Potato Puree
Strawberry Jello Pretzel Salad
Green Bean Orange Salad

CARROT SWEET POTATO PUREE

4 large sweet potatoes, baked
1 lb. carrots, peeled and diced
2-1/2 c. water
1 T. sugar
12 T. butter
salt and pepper
1/2 c. creme fraiche*
1/2 t. nutmeg

Place carrots in saucepan with water, sugar, 2 T. butter, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil and cook about 30 minutes until water evaporates and butter sizzles. Combine in food processor with peeled sweet potatoes. Add remaining ingredients. Serve immediately (or to reheat: heat at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, covered with foil).

*creme fraiche is made by combining equal parts heavy cream and sour cream and leaving at room temperature (covered) for 24 hours. It can also be purchased at some grocery and specialty food stores.

PRETZEL SALAD

Crust:
2 cups crushed pretzels
2 Tbsp. sugar
3/4 cup melted butter

Combine and press into bottom of 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 8 minutes. Cool well.

First layer:
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1 (12 oz.) container Cool Whip

Combine and spread over crust.

Top layer:
1 large pkg. strawberry jello
1 (20 oz.) pkg. frozen stawberries, cut up

Dissolve jello in 2 cups boiling water. Stir in frozen strawberries. Spread over cream cheese mixture. Chill overnight.

GREEN BEAN ORANGE SALAD
(I lost the recipe, but will try to recreate it by listing the ingredients)

Assemble in trifle bowl, starting with:

Shredded purple cabbage
Steamed green beans, cooled
Navel oranges, peeled and cut in bite-size pieces
Purple onion, sliced into rings
Cilantro leaves, chopped
Mint leaves, chopped
Dressing: mustard vinaigrette made with coarse dijon-type mustard

If I ever find the real recipe, I'll post it. Hope I can recreate it!

HAPPY EASTER!