Strawberry Jello Salad

1. Stage

Coat a 13x9-inch dish with cooking spray and set it aside. In a large bowl, dissolve the strawberry gelatin in 1 cup of boiling water, stirring until completely dissolved. Once the gelatin has dissolved, stir in 1 cup of cold water until well combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared dish and then refrigerate until the gelatin is fully set.

2. Stage

In a small bowl, sprinkle the unflavored gelatin over 1/2 cup of cold water and let it stand for one minute to soften. Meanwhile, heat the half-and-half cream in a saucepan over medium heat, making sure not to let it boil. Add the softened gelatin to the warm cream, stirring until the gelatin is fully dissolved. Remove from the heat and let the mixture cool to room temperature.

3. Stage

In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, sugar and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Gradually add the cooled gelatin-cream mixture, mixing until everything is well combined. Carefully pour the cream cheese mixture over the set strawberry gelatin layer in the dish. Refrigerate for about one hour or until the middle layer is fully set.

4. Stage

In a clean bowl, dissolve the strawberry gelatin for the top layer in 1 cup of boiling water, stirring until completely dissolved. Stir in 1 cup of cold water and let the mixture cool to room temperature. Once cooled, gently stir in the sliced fresh strawberries. Carefully spoon the strawberry mixture over the middle layer of the dish. Refrigerate the entire dessert overnight to allow all the layers to fully set before serving.