Whether or not to use non-stick cookware is a sticky issue these days, thanks to doubts about the safety of Teflon-coated pots and pans.

My wariness about my WearEver bakeware only intensified when I heard an ABC news anchor sum up the current controversy by saying something like,” the EPA says it's OK to keep using your non-stick pots and pans, for now.”

But bakers have an alternative; those rubbery-looking silicone pans and molds in cheerful primary colors that have popped up everywhere in recent years.

Silicone bake pans defy our expectations of how bakeware should look and feel; they're floppy and foldable, and they look as if they would melt, even though they can take temperatures up to anywhere from 475 to 600 degrees, depending on the brand. They're truly non-stick; no need to ever grease a silicone pan or mold. And they couldn't be easier to clean.

Is silicone bakeware safe to use? Well, it's FDA approved. Reassured? Me neither, but I can't find any evidence that it's not safe to use, unlike the non-stick stuff, which we've been hearing ominous rumblings about for years now.

One caveat; silicone bakeware is supposed to be microwave safe, as is Saran wrap, but I know that Dr. Weil has doubts about the safety of using any plastic wrap in a microwave, because, he says, “it can draw the plastic molecules into the food.” Does this apply to silicone? Who knows, but why take a chance?

I was skeptical about silicone myself, but the heart-shaped muffin pan I bought at Old Navy for my Valentine's Day cupcakes won me over. I had every intention of folding the red, rubbery pan up and putting it away after February 14th because, to me, baking heart-shaped muffins is the culinary equivalent of dotting your “I's” with a happy face.

But, as much as I hate to admit it, I heart my heart-shaped muffin pan. So I headed over to Target, which has a whole line of silicone bakeware designed by Chefmate, and bought myself a lovely cobalt blue 9” round cake pan, for a mere $7.99 (why so cheap? Made in China, of course; forgive me, Lou Dobbs.)

The pan is perfect for everything from cakes to casseroles, and it's just the right size for a toaster oven, which is where we do most of our baking (we do have an oven, but, this being Manhattan, we use it for storage).

Silicone bakeware does require a bit of adjustment; things tend to bake faster, and because it's not rigid, you have to handle it carefully when you take it in or out of the oven. And, needless to say, you wouldn't want to use a knife or any other sharp tool to cut yourself a slice of cake.

Once you get used to it, though, you'll be happy to toss the Teflon and stick with silicone.