Bacon Ranch Deviled Eggs

An Easter classic that's served throughout the year, deviled eggs lend themselves so easily to culinary experimentation. You can add almost anything and come out with something tasty. From sweet relish to crab meat and salsa to cream cheese, you can be creative when playing with deviled eggs.
 My mother-in-law first turned me on to Ranch flavored deviled eggs and somewhere down the line, I added the crumbled bacon. It's a perfect marriage of flavors and textures. See my tips below for some other things I've done to this recipe to add extra flavor and zing!

Tips:
I made these recently using a teaspoon of dry Ranch Dressing mix and 1/2 teaspoon of creamy horseradish. They turned out really well  but I prefer this more subtle approach in general.Try this recipe with grated Cheddar cheese mixed in for a richer flavor.Start out with 1 tablespoon of the Ranch dressing and taste it before adding the second tablespoon. You may not want 2 (or you might want 3!). If want your mixture creamier add more Ranch or mayo.Just a squirt (about an 1/8 of a teaspoon) of prepared mustard adds color and little depth to the eggs, without overpowering it with a mustardy flavor.To hard boil your eggs, put them in the pan and cover with cold water (there should be about an inch of water covering the eggs). Add about 1/2 teaspoon salt to the water. Turn on the burner to medium-high heat and bring to a roiling boil. Cover with a lid and turn off the burner. Let the eggs sit like this for 15 minutes. Then transfer the eggs to a dish of cold water and let sit for another 15 minutes. Hit the bottom (widest part) of the egg on the counter to crack and they should peel easily.
1-2 tablespoons Ranch dressing (according to taste)
4 slices bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled
Paprika, chives and/or freshly grated Parmesan Cheese for garnish, optional

Cut the peeled eggs in half length wise and place yolks in a medium mixing bowl.  Set the whites aside. Mash the yolks with a fork and add mayonnaise, Ranch dressing and crumbled bacon. Spoon or pipe the mixture into each egg white half. Garnish with a sprinkle of paprika, snipped chives, and/or freshly grated Parmesan cheese if desired.