My Number One Kitchen Pet Peeve
It’s Baking Season….not that I need a “season” to bake, but things will really be heating up when Tim and I hit the kitchen on the weekend to get everything done. I don’t know if I should be afraid that he offered to help with baking this year, or not?!
One thing that really ticks me off as a baker is the sticky residue some non-stick sprays leave behind. Isn’t the whole purpose of a non-stick spray to make clean up easier?  While bargain brands may work to help prevent foods from sticking, any areas where the spray was exposed to the heat directly end up with a residue that can be a chore to remove.  I can’t tell you how many cookie sheets and muffin pans, not to mention frying pans and casserole dishes, that I have had to scrub the residue off of. What a waste of time.
I have to admit I have never really paid much attention to the kind of spray I buy, and usually pick up what is on sale. Well, those days are over.  When I heard that the Pam non-stick spray leaves 97% less residue than other brands, I have to say I was more than intrigued to put it to the test.
I decided to make some Cranberry Cheesecake bars in a 9 x 13 ceramic pan. Â If there is going to be residue you really see it against the white pan! In my comparison of the Pam vs the bargain brand there definitely was a significant difference!
I marked the bottom of the pan on the Pam side (therefore the other side was the other brand) and then put a little ink mark on the edge. I gave each side an equal spray and the one thing I noticed right away is that the Pam side was much lighter in color. The other brand was a darker yellow colour.
After baking at 350 degrees for 65 minutes total (15 for the crust and then another 50 after the filling was added) I could clearly see the difference in the residue left behind.
The Pam Original Side
The Other Brand
The other thing I noticed is that the bars on the Pam side released really easily from the pan, while the other side the first few had the crust crumble upon removing them from the pan.
Here is another look at the difference. Â While there is some residue on the Pam Original side, there is significantly more on the bargain brand side.
I did a little wipe around one edge with a paper towel and again you can clearly see the difference in residue that I wiped off each side!
So what does all this mean? In my opinion I will definitely be making the choice to buy Pam Non-Stick spray in the future. Anything that helps me save time in the kitchen is money well spent!  I am thinking there will be a lot less scrubbing baking pans in my future.
Check back this weekend when I will be sharing the recipe for these yummy Cranberry Cheesecake Squares!
I am participating in the PAM No Residue blog comparison program with enCompass Media. I’ve received payment as a thank you for participating and sharing my honest opinion.
I just line my pans with parchment paper. After you cook something like bars for instance, you can lift the whole pan of them out onto your counter so theyre eadier to cut up and divide into storage containers for freezing. And there’s no worry about chemicals or aerosols.
I learned about parchment paper way back when I was in middle school in the early 70’s taking Home Ec (mandatory). My 33 year old bachelor son even is on to this trick now. You can get large rolls of parchment paper for a great price at Costco and it is cheaper than the sprays too. When making large batches of cookies, you can use the same piece of parchment paper multiple times before changing to a fresh piece.
Oh, I agree, Parchment can be a Baker’s best friend and I do use it often. However my muffin pans take the worst beating from the non-stick sprays as I prefer not to use any paper liners as they often end up sticking to the muffin or cupcake, and they are the hardest to clean! And yes, Costco is by far the best price!
It really is a time saver, especially when it comes to muffin tins and casserole dishes!