A strict, post-holiday money diet is the only reason that I haven't already plunked down $24 for some of these adorable silicone muffin cups [1].

Never mind that I already have a couple of perfectly fine muffin tins, purchased way back when for around $4 apiece. Never mind that I hardly ever bake muffins.

I want these sili-cups because my boring old metal muffin pans don't have the same pizzazz as these chic, rainbow-hued muffin cups. These look more like they belong in Barbie's spring collection, not the oven.

I'm not the only one [1] who's fallen for silicone kitchen gadgets. The New York Times [2] just ran an interesting story about their growing popularity -- and the many different types of kitchenware that are on the market. From potholders to splatter screens to vegetable steamers, silicone stuff [3] is everywhere.

So far, I've only acquired a pot holder, a spatula, and a very cool pastry brush, but I like them all. Bakers also seem to love their silicone products. [3]

What makes me nervous, though, is that the lack of information on whether this is a safe cooking substance, especially over a period of several years. Maybe there's nothing to worry about; after all, no problems have been reported to date.

But the Food and Drug Administration [4] told the Times [5] that silicone has to adhere to the “same safety standards as food additives like aspartame, monosodium glutamate.”

Not terribly reassuring [5], right? Especially now that we known that Teflon [5] -- which is still used on nonstick pans -- is made with carcinogens, kills parakeets [6] and can give us something called the Teflon flu [7].

Maybe I'll skip the silicone bake-ware this time. Cute as they are, I can live without those muffin cups. For now.