Deviled eggs have been on our Easter holiday table as long as I can remember. Of course, that's because we needed to find ways to use all those dyed eggs that the mischievous, candy-packing bunny hid throughout the house for the kids to (hopefully) find.

We usually dyed about a dozen eggs and, after destroying a number of them in the peeling process, we typically ended up with around eight eggs intact enough to stuff. The rest went into egg salad.

After years of hard-boiling eggs the way my mother and her mother had done it, starting in cold water, bringing that water up to a boil, then setting a timer, I read about another method that was a complete game changer.

It wasn't complicated or tricky. The only change was starting the eggs in boiling water, which did two things. First, it made the results easy to predict. You could set a timer right from the beginning and pretty much always get an egg done to your needs. No more green ring around the edge of the yolk, accompanied by a familiar, unpleasant odor. Not to mention the egg white that, if let loose, would bounce around your kitchen like a homemade version of "Flubber." These eggs all had a fully cooked yolk, surrounded by a tender white.

This technique also made peeling so much easier. Not every egg was perfect, but instead of losing four or five out of a dozen, I might only lose one. Although I can't explain the science behind it (I suspect it has something to do with the protein on the outside portion of the white cooking more quickly), I can tell you that for the past 10 years, this technique has never let me down. One caveat: If you raise your own chickens, or have access to incredibly fresh eggs, don't use them here. Ultra-fresh eggs tend to stick to their shells more than the ones you buy at the grocery store.

Combining bacon with eggs isn't exactly rocket science. These two breakfast icons have been sharing a plate since the dawn of diners. For some reason, though, you don't often find them paired in deviled eggs. This needs to change. Bacon adds a pleasant smokiness and, along with some fresh chives, takes the standard stuffed egg to the next level.

I like to use a piping bag to pipe the filling into the egg whites, but a spoon works well, too. Either way, these eggy little bites of goodness are sure to disappear quickly off your holiday table.

Bacon and Chive Deviled Eggs

Makes 16.

Whether or not you're dyeing eggs for a big bunny to hide all over your house, deviled eggs seem like a natural on a springtime holiday table. This easy version brings together eggs' favorite partner, bacon, along with chives, for a lovely change to this iconic dish. From Meredith Deeds.

• 8 large eggs

• 1/4 c. mayonnaise

• 1 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard

• 1 tbsp. minced fresh chives, plus more for garnish

• 1/4 tsp. hot sauce

• 3 slices cooked bacon, finely chopped

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Bring 3 quarts water to a boil in a large pot. Carefully lower eggs into pot and continue to boil for 30 seconds. Cover, reduce heat to low and continue cooking at a gentle simmer for 13 minutes. Remove eggs with a slotted spoon and transfer to an ice bath. Let sit in the cold water for at least 15 minutes.

To peel, first gently tap hard-boiled eggs all over to crack the shell, then remove shell under a thin stream of running water.

Halve eggs lengthwise. Place egg yolks in a medium bowl and mash them with a fork until smooth. Add mayonnaise, mustard, chives and hot sauce. Reserve 2 teaspoons of the finely chopped bacon and stir the rest into the egg yolk mixture.

Place egg whites onto a plate and fill each egg half with a spoonful of yolk mixture. Garnish with reserved chopped bacon and chives.

Meredith Deeds is a cookbook author and food writer from Edina. Reach her at meredithdeeds@gmail.com. Follow her on Instagram ­at @meredithdeeds.