This week I had the fabulous opportunity to review another product from Culinary Corner, and you now have the chance to win it! As if this isn't fantastic enough, I'll let you in on a little secret. You have the chance to win another of their products next week, and again the next! Each week is a giveaway for a different product, so be sure to enter them all!
A big thank you to Culinary Corner for sponsoring these giveaways, and to you, dear readers, for entering them! Your participation brings more giveaways to you, with more opportunities to win, so keep doing what you do! Sweepstaking Dreams can come true!
Today I am reviewing the Culinary Corner Non-stick Silicone Baking Mat Flexible. The size is 16 and 5/8th inches by 11 inches, so it fits on a half-sized baking sheet just right.
There is no need for any type of oil with this mat, which is a definite plus! Whatever it is you're making, it does not matter. This is true whether you are using it for baking, or for freezing, or for a work surface. It really is as non-stick as it gets!
Along with these non-stick properties, as I've said, the versatility of this mat is astounding. The uses must be endless! Though baking may be the first thing that comes to mind, I will also be using this for freezing fruits and vegetables. I used to spread these out on tin foil, which would inevitably tear and become annoying. I will also be using this to roll pie crust and dough. No more dough stuck to the counter top!
Now, as for what I've used it for, so far, here's a start...
I am generally quite busy, as most people are. Therefore, on work days, I don't often cook a full meal until late in the day. However, I generally will make something quick and easy for mid-day. Cheesy, oven-baked snacks like the one below (this one happens to be mozzarella and pepperoni wrapped up in a croissant, though it could be anything) are some of the kinds things I regularly have on hand, and thoroughly enjoy, so will whip up in a snap. Unfortunately, there are always at least a few bits of cheese that end up baking onto the pan, making clean-up a pain.
Clean-up was zero hassle with this baking mat. The cheese wiped right off! It made me so happy! What a joy, to be free of that time consuming task!
Then, one evening, my son wanted to bake some salmon. To his horror, he discovered we were out of tin foil.
Now, as some of you may know, before moving to the new home, I was living on the Mississippi River, dealing with extensive and extreme flooding for a number of years. I would spend weeks, if not months at home, working online and keeping myself busy around the house during floods. A simple trip out to the store was never an option. This is what has been ingrained in me, to stock up as best you can, then make do with what you have.
So, needless to say, I wasn't about to run out to the store to get tin foil. Instead, I told him to try the baking mat. I was glad to have it, too!
Again, it worked perfectly. He can be a bit of a messy jeffy when he cooks, so this was so much better than tin foil ever was. I have to say, I was a bit concerned with him using it for the first time, but there was no need to be. Again, clean up was a breeze.
The one thing that you may want to note, is that a silicone baking mat will season, as your favorite bakeware will often do. So, after time, it does show some discoloration. This hasn't affected its performance in any unwanted way. In fact, it seems to me that it may have made it better, as seasoning often does.
On something of a related note, I have not found it to pick up any odors, even from things like fish. This is a definite plus.
On to the next adventure in cooking with this baking mat. It was sugar cookies. I made this short video to show you how slick this works...
Then, of course, with the Super Bowl coming up, I had to try Parmesan cheese bowls.
I baked these at 375 degrees for seven minutes.
When they were done, they slid right off the mat, without a hitch. I then draped them over an inverted coffee cup to cool, popped one onto a wine-holding hors d'ouvre plate, and dropped some olives in. Wala!
Warning: This baking mat may subject you to sudden bursts of creativity!
In the end, it's a quick swish in the sink with some warm soapy water, a swipe with a dishrag, and a quick rinse. Then, just drape it on the dish rack to dry. Store it right on the baking sheet. Simple enough!
Now, it's your chance to win one! If you can't wait, you can visit Culinary Corner on Amazon and get 10% off using the code JENNYT10!
You can also see my review of Culinary Corner's set of three Easy Flex Silicone Spatulas here. Enter to win these spatulas through February 14!
Good Luck!
