Gardendale Magazine - April 2022 by JBMC Media

APRIL 2022

LEARNING

CALLED to

Serve

Local school students certified as EMTs. PAGE 18

F RO M

TRAGEDY Local tornado victim helps

spearhead disaster relief team. PAGE 10

A strong and vibrant city

Mayor gives his annual address to the Chamber. PAGE 26

COMING AUGUST 2022

Gardendale Elementary Playground

Investing In Our Schools! Your Tax Dollars at Work

Mayor Stan Hogeland City Council

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Alvin Currington, President Greg Colvert Bryan Knox

Will Hardman Adam Berendt

Olivia Tetralogy of Fallot Patient

The path to The path to

MENDING HER MENDING HER

HEART MENDINGHEART HER HEART The path to

The path to MENDING

HER

was actually through her leg. was actually through her leg. Olivia was born with a congenital heart defect requiring open

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was actually through her leg.

Children’s of Alabama.

/ Table of Contents /

12/

10/ 16/

17/

School News: Just some of the exciting things happening in our local schools.

From Tragedy to Hope: Man turns destruction into help for others. Events: 69th Annual Flower Show coming to the Civic Center.

Events: Rotary Trivia Night means big wins for the community.

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18/

Cover Feature: Students to Medics: Gardendale students learn skills to save lives.

/ Table of Contents /

22/

Nonprofit Spotlight: Civitans give back to special children.

24 /

Events: Churches play vital role in annual festival.

22/

State of the City: Mayor touts business and recreation growth in annual address.

29/

Recipe of the Month: Kathleen gives quick tips for a refreshing favorite.

30/

Calendar: Don’t miss these events

Gardendale magazine [ 5 ]

/ About Us / On The Cover / Who We Are Gardendale Magazine is published monthly by JBMC Media, a Birmingham-based publishing company. The magazine is available at nearly 90 locations throughout Gardendale, free of charge, and is supported by the advertisers within the pages of this magazine. Gardendale Magazine is 100% local; the stories and photos are all about the city of Gardendale, its residents, its businesses, its schools, and its cultural institutions. It’s our promise to you that we will always keep it this way, so that the content and stories are relevant to everyone who calls Gardendale home.

About the Cover Gardendale students learn skills they can use to save lives as EMTs or in everyday life. Cover photo by Ron Burkett

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Rachel Davis Karr Content Director (205) 613-7850, rachel@jbmcmedia.com Lori Kinney Marketing Consultant (205) 447-1164, lkinney1215@gmail.com Anthony Bratina, Shweta Gamble Graphic Design

Matthew Allen Publisher (205) 617-9609, matthew@jbmcmedia.com

/ Editor’s Note / It’s been almost two years since Matthew messaged me out of the blue and asked if I would be interested in helping him start a magazine in Gardendale. We both loved the people and community and felt that the city deserved something more than they were getting. We had no idea how bad things were going to get over the following months as the pandemic geared up. Because of that, it took another year before we started getting advertisers lined up and a few more months to get our first product out. We wanted the launch to be well-received by the city. We could never have predicted how well it would go and how kind you would all be about that first issue. This marks our seventh issue and you have continued to encourage and engage with us at every turn. Please keep doing that. I cannot tell you how much your phone calls, emails, texts and Facebook messages have meant to us. Your feedback and story ideas have also been integral to the magazine every month. We can’t be everywhere and know everyone so it’s so helpful when you contact us with your story ideas. Those have been some of our best-received stories, so keep them coming. We are also grateful that we have still been able to connect with you, even though we are not coming directly to your homes anymore. We were nervous initially, but had to do it to be able to continue the magazine. Hearing from so many of you that you actually like this distribution model BETTER was a relief to us. If you have a business and would like to be a distribution point, please let us know. As we head into summer, keep letting us know what you want to see. Does your child have a unique talent or hobby? Does your neighbor have a wonderful story that others need to hear? What’s your favorite business or the employee who always brightens your day? Let me know. And thank you for all the good ideas so far.

Gardendale magazine [ 7 ]

/ Mayor’s Corner / It’s a busy time here in Gardendale as we kick off the Spring season. The kids are playing ball, the parks are alive with activities and our walking tracks are covered with those exercising. Make sure you check out what we have to offer and enjoy the outdoors. Last week, we took our grandkids to the Guts Trail located behind the soccer fields at Kenny Clemons Park. The creek was rushing, and it was absolutely beautiful. Just a short walk from the parking lot and you felt like you were in the middle of nowhere. I encourage you to check this out along with all of our parks. Around town, we are blessed to have lots of construction equipment moving every day. The new park at Bill Noble on Moncrief Road is well underway and work is progressing nicely. I can’t wait to watch this park come out of the ground and this time next year see it full of kids and parents enjoying the new facility. Seeing the old park come down was emotional for me and many of you as well. We all had lots of memories there. I played baseball there as a little boy in the 60’s and there are things that I still vividly remember to this day. Then, as a parks and recreation employee in the 70’s I remember helping construct the Kiddie Park. When we first built it, there were 6 houses that surrounded it. Over time, the city bought these, and the playground was expanded a couple of times. Later, we built a maintenance shop directly behind the playground and my office was there. One of my favorite things to do was to open my window this time of year and listen to the sounds of children playing on the equipment. It was hard watching the park come down, but it was time to build something new for our children. The new park will include a beautiful new playground as well as all the new fields and amenities. New memories will be made, and it will be a place that all of our community will be proud of. Residential and commercial construction is wide open too. New houses are going up in several areas and the real estate market continues to be hot. The interstate development is really taking shape now and those traveling I65 can now see clearly that things are happening here in Gardendale. You also may have noticed the lot being cleared next to the Brookwood Medical Building. This parcel will soon house a new car wash that should open this summer. We welcome this new business to Gardendale. April 22 and 23. Do you know the significance of those dates? It’s Magnolia Festival 2022! Mark your calendars now as this year promises to be even bigger and better. Tens of thousands will be here that weekend so make sure that you don’t miss this one! Lastly, with the warming temperatures and extended daylight hours, let’s all do our part in beautifying our city. Many have already begun. We have several local businesses that have everything you need to clean and dress up your yard, from flowers to pine straw and mulch. We have a beautiful town, and we all need to work hard to keep it that way. With that being said, April 4-8 is our City-Wide Spring Clean-Up Week. We will offer curbside pick-up for many of your discard items. Make sure you take advantage of this free service. Call 205-631-3394 for more details and to sign up for pickup. Also, on April 9 we will host the Jefferson County Hazardous Waste Pickup Day at the GFBC South Campus parking lot. Times are from 8-11:30 a.m. This is another free service that you want to take advantage of. In closing, it’s an honor and a privilege to serve as the Mayor of Gardendale. Let me know if I can be of service to you. As I’ve said many times, “Greater Things Are Yet to be Done in This City”. Stan Hogeland, Mayor City of Gardendale

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Gardendale magazine [ 9 ]

/ Faith /

From Tragedy to Hope

Man turns destruction into help for others Story and photos by Rachel Davis Karr What’s the most memorable breakfast you’ve ever had? For Jim Jernigan, the answer to that question is simple and surprising: A peanut butter sandwich out of the back of a van last January. On the night of January 25, 2021, an EF3 tornado tore through Fultondale and surrounding communities, destroying homes and businesses. One of the destroyed homes was where Jernigan and his wife, Vicki, were huddled in a bathtub with their two dogs. The four were unhurt, but their home and most of their belongings were destroyed. The next morning, people started showing up to help and bringing food. Including a van full of kids with sandwiches and bottled water. Jernigan will never forget those kids and the others who showed up in the city’s darkest hours. “As we watched the surrounding communities and our city come together, we knew when we got through this, we had to do something,” Jernigan said. The city is still cleaning and rebuilding from the disaster, but Jernigan wanted to be ready to help the next community in need. He wanted to do for others what those kids in the van with the peanut butter sandwiches had done for him. He wanted to create a trailer with grills that he, and other volunteers, could pull into a disaster area and start cooking. Jernigan knew he would need help for the project and other businesses in the area quickly joined in to make it a success. “We began talking to different businesses in the community and everyone agreed that it was a great idea,” Jernigan said. The trailer company they contacted agreed to take $2,000 off the price of the trailer, Stripe King agreed to letter it for the cost of the materials, Ace Hardware sold them two grills at less than their own cost for them, Southern Market got them hotdogs and hamburgers below cost, Mike’s Handy Food Mart furnished the fuel tanks for free and Mordecai // Continued on Page 11 // [ 10 ] Gardendale magazine

/ Faith /

“As we watched the surrounding communities and our city come together, we knew when we got through this, we had to do something.

// Continued from Page 10// Sporting Goods printed shirts and hats to identify the workers at no cost. Private citizens also contributed. Jeremy Allred bought a tent for the group and Dan Foster purchased storage containers and bungee cords. And Mike Wallace and Jerry Ingram were integral in organizing everything to get the trailer ready to roll. Father Wyman Vintson also gave his blessing to the project and allowed the trailer and supplies to be stored at the church. The trailer is packed with two grills, all the supplies and the frozen meat is waiting in a freezer at Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, where the trailer is stored. When the next disaster strikes

within 150-200 miles, a team of volunteers will hook the trailer, get the meat and drive to the location, set up and cook lunch. They will then return, restock the trailer and another volunteer team will take the trailer out the next day. Each day, the plan is to serve 45-50 hamburgers and 100 hotdogs. The Knights of Columbus Disaster Team and Jernigan are leading the effort for the trailer, but it really has been a community effort to give back. “Through all of this, I have learned that when people are in need, it is not a color, protestant, catholic or non-denominational issue–we are all Americans, and we are our brother’s keepers,” Jernigan said. Gardendale magazine [ 11 ]

/ School News /

GES 4th and 5th Grade Choir performed at Music in our Schools in March.

GES TAG students visited Camp McDowell Farm School where they were they learned about how food comes to the tables from the farm.

Congratulations to Gardendale Elementary’s March Character Award students for Peace.

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Congratulations to Gardendale Elementary’s March Character Award students for Peace.

/ School News /

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Gardendale Elementary School Laura Phillips-Powell was named Second Mile Teacher. Mrs. Powell teaches second grade students and coaches the GES Science Olympiad team. She is an amazing teacher who loves what she does and it is recognized by her peers, students, and parents.

GHS Boys Tennis won 2nd Place County Tournament.

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Bragg Middle School teacher Nic Williams, who was named our Second Mile Teacher of the Year. This award goes to the teacher who goes above and beyond the call of duty.

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Gardendale magazine [ 13 ]

Celebrations SHARE YOUR

IN GARDENDALE MAGAZINE

Engagements

Weddings

Birthdays

Anniversaries

Share your moments with all of Gardendale. Engaged? Recently married? Celebrating a special birthday or anniversary? Share it with us so we can let everybody in town know about it! Here’s what to do: • Email a high-resolution photo, 50-75 word description, and the name(s) of the people in the announcement to celebrations@jbmcmedia.com. • Choose from one of two sizes to share your celebration: a 1/4 page space ($95) or a 1/2 page ($190). Payment can be made with debit or credit card, or through PayPal or Venmo. • Your announcement will also be shared on our Facebook and Instagram pages. • Deadline is the 5th of the month prior to the issue you wish the celebration to appear in.

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/ Feature /

69th Annual North End Council Flower Show The North End Council of Garden Clubs will host its 69th annual Flower Show on May 5 and 6 at the Gardendale Civic Center. As always, the show is open to the public and no admission is charged. This show conforms to the requirements for a National Garden Club Standard Flower Show. The North End Council consists of three clubs– Gardendale Garden Club, Magnolia Garden Club and the Blue Star Garden Club, which just celebrated its 70th anniversary of formation. The Council is a member of the Federated Garden Clubs of District III, The Garden Club of Alabama, Inc. and the Deep South Region of the National Garden Clubs, Inc. This year’s theme is “A Garden is a Work of Heart.” For May 5, the show will be open from 2-7 p.m. and on May 6, it will be open 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The garden club members have worked hard to create interesting entries for the show in categories ranging from Horticulture to Table Design to Arrangements. There are also educational exhibits and photography competitions. This year, the group has introduced a new category, called the Topiary Division, to allow gardeners who sculpt with plants a venue to exhibit their work. The Horticulture Category alone has more than 100 divisions within it and each division has at least four entries to be considered its own division.

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/ Feature /

Rotary Trivia Night FUNdraiser Photos Courtesy of Rotary Club of North Jefferson The Rotary Club of North Jefferson hosted its annual Trivia Night Fundraiser in April. The Brainy Bunnies team, sponsored by Mayor Stan Hogeland, came away with the top prize, but the community was the real winner since all proceeds go to the group’s various service projects. For more information on Rotary, or to make sure you are ready for their next event, visit the Rotary Club of North Jefferson on Facebook.

Gardendale magazine [ 17 ]

/ Feature /

PHOTOS BY RON BURKETT

Students to Medics Gardendale students learn skills they can use to save lives as EMTs or in everyday life.

Story by Rachel Davis Karr The last two years have brought new awareness to how vital medical providers at all levels are to the safety and well-being of the public. Often the first medical professional a patient encounters is an Emergency Medical Technician or a Paramedic that responds to help them. Experts worry that the critical shortage of people in these professions could mean medical emergencies go unanswered. // Continued on Page 19 // [ 18 ] Gardendale magazine

“We’re not just in a shortage, but a critical shortage,” David Waid, of Regional Paramedical Services, said. “If we don’t fix the problem, we face the potential that in 2-5 years there could be so many gaps in coverage that areas go without emergency medical coverage.” One class at Gardendale High School is aimed at correcting these shortages. The program, created by Bevill State Community College, gives the students the opportunity to take EMT classes. At the end of the class,

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Gardendale students learn skills they can use to save lives as EMTs or in everyday life.

// Continued on Page 19 // if they pass the national registry exam, the students can work as a licensed EMT. This is the second year the class has been offered at Gardendale, but the program was implemented at other schools several years ago, including Corner and Mortimer Jordan. The class attracts students interested in becoming paramedics, those who want to be nurses or doctors and those who just want to know the basics of helping someone in distress. This year, the class at Gardendale includes Gardendale students as well as students from Corner and Fultondale who are interested in becoming EMTs. “It’s an opportunity for students to get a jumpstart on their careers and, for the industry, it’s a way to help alleviate severe shortages, because these students are employable when they graduate high school,” program instructor Andy Bearden said. “The most rewarding thing is seeing students like these walk through the doors as a new hire, knowing you had a part in igniting [ 20 ] Gardendale magazine

their passion for saving lives.” Waid also praised the program for giving the students the skills and knowledge to be employable as well as providing hands-on experience that gives the student a feel for what it is really like in the emergency medical field. “It can be a good job, with good pay, if they want to pursue this as a career, or it can be a stepping stone to other medical fields,” Waid said. Bevill State provides the instruction and materials to the students at no cost for eligible students through its dual enrollment program for the EMT classes. There are then programs available through the state or private companies to allow the student to continue their education all the way through paramedic classes, if they want, at little or no cost. Graduates of the program already work for Regional Paramedical Services and other services throughout the area.

Gardendale magazine [ 21 ]

/ Nonprofit /

Civitans make donation to Burkett Center Story by Rachel Davis Karr The Gardendale Civitan Club recently purchased 15 bean bag chairs with covers for the Burkett Center. These bean bags are extra large and the removable covers will make it easier for the staff to remove and launder them, as needed. The Burkett Center, located in the renovated former location of Mortimer Jordan High School in Kimberly, serves the county’s special needs. According to its website: “Our mission is to promote independence for all students through self-help, communication and work skills. Burkett is a place where the smallest accomplishments of each student are celebrated and the unique beauty of each child is recognized.” That makes the Burkett Center the perfect place for the Gardendale Civitan Club to help out, since helping children with special needs is the main reason the club exists. // Continued on Page 23 //

PHOTO COURTESY OF GARDENDALE CIVITAN CLUB

The Gardendale Civitan Club recently donated 15 huge beanbag chairs to the Burkett Center. The center serves children in the county who have special needs.

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/ Nonprofit / // Continued from Page 22 // Civitan International was founded in 1917 as a way for businessmen to band together and help their community. In the 1950s, the group narrowed its focus to try to improve the community by focusing on those individuals who have intellectual or developmental disabilities–mostly children. In 1952, the Gardendale Civitan chapter was founded by a man named Robert Lee. The nonprofit was well-known in the area for its annual Boston Butt sale, but stopped having them a couple of years ago when the club members that hosted them retired. Now their fundraisers are a Vidalia onion sale and a fruitcake sale at Christmas. The group uses that money to make donations like this one to the Burkett Center or to help build ramps to facilitate the needs of other special needs children in the community. A large portion of the group’s work is also to donate to the Civitan International Research Center at UAB. This wing of the hospital was founded to research the causes and treatments for the disabilities that many individuals face. This world-class research facility is a center for research into disorders such as autism, Down syndrome, brain tumors, epilepsy and more. The Gardendale Civitans meet on the fourth Monday night of each month at the Gardendale Civic Center at 6:30. They are also always looking for speakers interested in visiting their meeting and telling them about their cause, business or other interesting topic. For more information, visit the group on Facebook by searching Gardendale Civitan.

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Gardendale magazine [ 23 ]

/ Feature /

Churches play vital role in annual festival

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE MAGNOLIA FESTIVAL

The Kids Zone is a big part of the Magnolia Festival every year. This is just one of the ways local churches pitch in to ensure all the kids have fun at the festival. Story by Rachel Davis Karr There are so many groups and individuals that all contribute to the annual Magnolia Festival, but two of the largest areas are managed by two local churches. Gardendale First Baptist has one of the most // Continued on Page 25 //

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visible roles in the festival as they donate the use of their parking lot for the festival and also provide the Magnolia Express golf carts to ferry visitors from the parking to the festival, as well as the volunteers to drive the carts. GFBC also sponsors the free Kids Zone, which grows every year. Last year the offerings grew

// Continued from Page 24 // to include putt putt golf and this year sand art was added to the zone where every color represents something from the Bible. “AS the kids do the sand art, they will get a full gospel story,” Phil Cronin, Outreach Pastor at GFBC, said. There are some perennial favorites, such as inflatables, shooting galleries built by Ed Moody (using foam “bullets”) and other offerings to allow the kids to play for free. The group used to offer archery as well, but Cronin said that it was difficult to maintain throughout the day. GFBC also provides volunteers who help the festival staff by filling in by manning the ticket booth or information tent. Cronin said they have 45 or more volunteers to assist at the festival each year. Decatur Highway Church of Christ also offers a

free children’s area inside the Gardendale Civic Center. In 2019, the church agreed to take over the Children ‘N’ Art craft activities for kids. Since COVID canceled the 2020 festival, the church put the first craft activities together last year. This year, the church offered five different activities: string art, foam mosaic, cupcake decorating, canvas needle art and watercolor pens. “We try to keep everything generic age-wise so everyone has a good time,” Karen Hogeland, of DHCC, said. The church provides all the materials for the activities and staffs the entire project with church volunteers. “That was a huge help for us,” Magnolia Festival organizer Kathleen Phillips said. “It used to be very difficult to plan the activities and make sure we had the materials and volunteers to man the crafts. It has been such a relief for them to take that part over.”

Gardendale magazine [ 25 ]

/ Feature /

Gardendale 2022 State of the City

RENDERING COURTESY OF CITY OF GARDENDALE

One of the biggest projects on the Gardendale horizon is the complete overhaul and expansion of Bill Noble Park on Moncrief Road.

By Rachel Davis Karr

whenever possible.

Gardendale Mayor Stan Hogeland presented his annual State of the City presentation at the Chamber of Commerce’s April luncheon.

“We don’t have everything in Gardendale, but we’ve got most of it,” Hogeland said with a laugh.

This year’s State of the City focused on how the city has come out of the pandemic, the new and returning businesses and the city’s ongoing projects.

BUSINESS

So far, the city has seen an 8.12 percent increase in sales tax above the same point last year. Consistently, the city has collected more than $1 million in sales tax each month, according to Hogeland. He asked that those in attendance continue to focus on shopping local and keeping tax dollars in Gardendale

“It didn’t fade away, it disintegrated,” Hogeland remembers.

// Continued on Page 27 // [ 26 ] Gardendale magazine

As the pandemic began, Hogeland said he saw years of work to attract businesses disappear.

Hogeland worried that all those years of talks and effort would return nothing for the city, but then the tides turned and he was able to confirm Shrimp Basket would return, Tazikis

// Continued from Page 26 // would open and Taco Mama would take up the other food space in that building. And then the holy grail of announcement came–after years of citizens asking for it, Olive Garden was finally ready to open a Gardendale location, along with LongHorn Steakhouse. Now Sonic and Subway have announced they will be opening locations in the city, as will Marc-1 Carwash. MEDICAL MILE UAB has announced plans to expand its already sizable footprint in Gardendale with a 6+ acre expansion that is expected to cost in the neighborhood of $20 million.

and the Jefferson County Board of Education has opened up an opportunity for the city to play an active role in the schools. In the past two years, the City of Gardendale has donated approximately $1.3 million to the four schools. Those donations include large projects like partnering with the county to install turf on the high school football field, as well as smaller projects like financing trips for specific groups to go to events or competitions they might otherwise have missed. The donations have also included more than $100,000 to individual teachers in the schools for classroom needs over the last two years.

Gardendale’s Medical Mile currently has over 100 medical businesses and is expected to have more than 200 in the next few years.

The city expects to increase the amount it invests in the schools over the next few years, Hogeland said.

SCHOOLS

“If you see a need, as a parent or grandparent, instead of criticizing, send me a text or an email and we’ll see if we can fund it,” Hogeland promised.

The Mayor and Council have committed themselves to constant support of the four schools located in the city of Gardendale. Although a bid for a city school system was unsuccessful, a partnership between the city

The next partnership for the school system and the city will likely be a $300,000 playground at

// Continued on Page 28 // Gardendale magazine [ 27 ]

// Continued from Page 27 // Gardendale Elementary School. Details on that playground have not been finalized RECREATION Another focus of the administration has been the city’s recreational offerings. From expanding the sports offered to creating spaces for new activities, there have been various improvements in the park system over the years. The largest undertaking for these park spaces is currently underway on Moncrief Road. The old park has been demolished and the new facility is expected to be opened in 2023. Hogeland acknowledged that the growth of William Noble Park has not been without headaches for the city and its residents. The daily blasting required to demolish the structures and prepare the land has been a nuisance to those who live around the park, those who regularly took their children to the park have had to find other activities and the city’s little league teams were rendered virtually homeless for the current season. Hogeland assured the surrounding community that there were extensive measures in place to [ 28 ] Gardendale magazine

ensure the blasting was controlled and didn’t damage their homes, although not much can be done about the noise. He also said that he had met with some of the local children who were upset about the park not being there anymore and showed them the plans for the new playground at the site. “I wish you could have seen their little eyes light up,” Hogeland said. A deal was also struck with the City of Fultondale to allow the little league baseball teams to use their park for the season and the new park is planned to open in 2023. The $27 million demolition and reconstruction plan will create a facility to house football, soccer and lacrosse fields with synthetic turf, 11 pickleball courts, 10 tennis courts and nine baseball fields. It is expected to be a boost to the community for recreation, but also for local businesses as the complex draws tournaments and competitions to the area. There will also be an inclusive playground, pavilions and an event building, as well as house the city’s park and recreation offices.

/ Recipe of the Month / EASY STRAWBERRY PRETZEL SALAD This old-fashioned, small batch Jell-O salad (or dessert) is made in an 8x8-inch pan for when you crave the sweet and salty dessert but you’re not going to a potluck. Prep Time: 25 mins / Cook Time: 15 mins / hill and cool time: 2 hrs 20 mins / Total Time: 3 hrs Equipment 8x8 pan or dish Ingredients 1 1/2 cups small pretzel twists or sticks about 3 ounces (1 cup crushed) 2 tablespoons light brown sugar or granulated sugar 7 tablespoons salted or unsalted butter melted 1 3ounce package strawberry flavored gelatin (I used Jell-O) 1 cup boiling water 4 ounces cream cheese (1/2 of an 8 ounce package) 1 1/4 cups Cool Whip plus more for dolloping on top, if desired 1/4 cup granulated sugar or 1/3 cup powdered confectioners sugar 1 1/2 cups hulled and sliced strawberries about 1/2 of a 16-ounce container

Combine crushed pretzels, brown sugar, and melted butter in a medium-size bowl. Press the mixture onto the bottom of an 8x8 pan or baking dish. Bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Let cool to room temperature (about 20 minutes). Meanwhile, combine boiling water (see Notes for microwave time) and strawberry gelatin, stirring until gelatin is dissolved. Set aside until thickened to the consistency of egg whites (about 15 minutes). (Be careful if you refrigerate it, not to let it get too thick at this point.) To avoid using an electric mixer, I get the cream cheese very soft by microwaving it. Unwrap the cream cheese and place on a plate. Microwave on HIGH for 10 seconds; flip it over and microwave again for 10 seconds. The cream cheese will be soft enough to stir with a whisk or spoon. Whisk together softened cream cheese and granulated sugar. Whisk until sugar is almost dissolved. Gently fold in Cool Whip with a spatula until you don’t see any streaks of cream cheese. When the crust is about room temperature, dollop the cream cheese filling onto the crust, then spread evenly to the edges of the pan. This step is important so the gelatin won’t seep down to the crust. Add the sliced strawberries to the gelatin. It should not be thickened at this point. Pour or spoon the strawberry mixture over the filling and spread it all the way to the edges of the pan.

Place in the refrigerator, uncovered, for 2 hours or until the gelatin is firm. Cover and store in the refrigerator after this point. Cut into squares to serve. Dollop with additional Cool Whip, if desired.

NOTES Pro Tip: To easily spread the filling on the crust, without breaking up the crust, dollop the filling in 5 or 6 spoonfuls, first. Then evenly spread it to the edges with a knife. This shortens the distance the filling has to be “dragged” across the crust. How to boil water in microwave: Pour 1 cup water into a microwavesafe measuring cup or small bowl. Microwave on HIGH for 2 minutes. Pro Tip: Waiting for cream cheese to get to room temperature can take hours. Shortcut this step by removing it from the wrapper, place on a small plate and microwave on HIGH for 10 seconds. Flip it over and microwave again for another 10 seconds. Done. Room temperature cream cheese. How to make this salad in a 9x9 or 13x9 inch pan: For a 9x9 pan, you can either make the recipe as is and it will be slightly thinner, or increase all the ingredients a little. Use these amounts: 1 1/4 cups crushed pretzels, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 1/2 cup butter, 3 ounce package strawberry gelatin, 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons boiling water, 6 ounces cream cheese, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 1 1/2 cups Cool Whip plus more for dolloping on top.To make Easy Strawberry Pretzel Salad in a 13x9 inch pan, simply double all the ingredients. Nutrition: Serving: 1/6 | Calories: 322kcal

Gardendale magazine [ 29 ]

/ Calendar /

// April 29

// May 7

7 a.m.: Business and Breakfast: The Chamber will host its first quarterly breakfast meeting at Kemp’s Kitchen Private Room. The cost is $12 per person.

10 a.m.: Crafting with the Chamber: At Celebration Park (2191 Fieldstown Road): Bring the kids to create a unique Mother’s Day gift.

10:30 a.m. to noon: Social Cafe: Kathleen Phillips: Kathleen Phillips will give insight into how to cook with an air fryer at the Gardendale Library.

5 p.m. Red Back Hymnal Singing: Gardendale First Baptist will host a Red Back Hymnal Singing at its North Campus.

// May 5-6

// May 12

7 p.m.: Gardendale High School Presents Beauty and the Beast: GHS Rocket Theater presents Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. The story of a beautiful and gentle young woman and an arrogant young prince who is cursed to be a hideous beast, together they must find love before it’s too late.

11:30 a.m.: Chamber of Commerce Luncheon: The Gardendale Chamber of Commerce will host its monthly luncheon at the Gardendale Civic Center.

// Continued on Page 31 //

[ 30 ] Gardendale magazine

5 - 8 p.m.: Food Truck Night: The monthly Food Truck Night is back every third Thursday at the Gardendale Civic Center.

/ Calendar /

// Continued from Page 30//

// May 13 5 p.m.: Tabernacle Trivia Night: Tabernacle Christian School will host its Trivia Night at the school gym. Entry is $500 per team of five and includes pizza and drinks. The winner will receive $1,000 to their charity of their choice. For more information, contact Amber LIndsey at 205.332.9468 or email alindsey@ tabernaclechristian.org.

// May 21 3-7 p.m.: Scavenger Hunt: The Gardendale Chamber of Commerce is organizing a Photo Scavenger Hunt. The cost per team is $50 and includes dinner. The hunt is from 3 - 4:45 p.m. and the awards dinner will be at 5 p.m. at Gardendale City Hall.

// June 9 11:30 a.m.: Chamber of Commerce Luncheon: The Gardendale Chamber of Commerce will host its monthly luncheon at the Gardendale Civic Center. 5 - 8 p.m.: Food Truck Night: The monthly Food Truck Night is back every third Thursday at the Gardendale Civic Center.

Gardendale magazine [ 31 ]

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