I love to bake, but holy cow do my hands fight me! I don’t let this stop me, though. Fresh baked cookies, pineapple upside-down cake, rhubarb crisp … with adapted baking tools, I can make it all.

Instead of using an oven, I use a countertop toaster oven for all my baking needs. Having the oven door at my level just can’t be beat. But it’s not just this epic oven that’s made all the difference, there are a few other things that you have just got to hear about:

Oster’s Extra Large Toaster Oven: Since ovens are too low for me, I use a toaster oven on my countertop. Nothing beats being able to easily pull out my cookie sheet or pan without having to bend over. I use Oster’s Extra Large Toaster Oven and it’s the best $99 I ever spent. Cakes, cookies, pies, it bakes it all. My4Hands Countertop/Lap Board: All of my prep, mixing and pouring happens on this nifty lap board. It can take high temps, and the stability can’t be beat. Using this is so much better than searching a countertop for stuff. And when I’m trying to find a place a put down a hot pan, I just put it here.  Emeril Lagasse Mini Cookie Sheet: If you decide to go with a toaster oven, you will also need a cookie sheet that will fit. Fortunately, Emeril Lagasse has a high-quality mini cookie sheet that will fit in Oster’s Extra Large Toaster Oven. The Bakeware Nonstick Baking Sheet is 15 by 10 inches, made from a thicker metal, and cookies bake on it beautifully. Egg Separator: Separating eggs, a staple of many delicious recipes, is something that’s next to impossible when you have paralyzed hands. You can, however, use an egg separator — a handy little plastic sieve — to get the job done. Not only will it save your clothes, it will save many eggs you might otherwise waste. Lightweight Hand Mixer: An extra-light hand mixer is a must for quads, but they’re not easy to find. I use an old white plastic Sunbeam hand mixer from Target that is incredibly lightweight. I did try a heavier hand mixer a couple of months ago, but I made a terrible mess since I couldn’t grip it tightly. Measuring Cups With Long Handles: One more item I could never do without when baking is my set of measuring cups with extra long handles. In a perfect world, I’d have a machine that would know how to measure out things for me, but these measuring cups are a close second. Baking can be so satisfying. Don’t let your injury stop you from doing it, even if that means making a little bit of a mess. Take it from me — the satisfaction of baking something beautiful completely on your own makes all of the hassle worth it.

Which baking tools do you swear by?