Bacon and Cheddar Deviled Eggs

12 hard-boiled eggs 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1/2 cup sour cream 1-1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice 1/4 tsp. pepper 1/3 cup crumbled cooked bacon 1/4 cup finely shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (1 oz.) 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives or green onion tops

Cut eggs lengthwise in half. Remove yolks to medium bowl. Reserve 24 white halves. Finely chop remaining 4 white halves. Mash yolks with fork. Add mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, lemon juice, and pepper; mix well. Add chopped egg whites, bacon, cheese, and chives; mix well. Spoon 1 heaping Tbsp. of yolk mixture into each reserved egg white half. Refrigerate, covered, to blend flavors.

Tips: Very fresh eggs can be difficult to peel. To ensure easily peeled eggs, buy and refrigerate them a week to 10 days in advance of cooking. This brief "breather" allows the eggs time to take in air, which helps separate the membranes from the shell.

Hard-boiled eggs are easiest to peel right after cooling. Cooling causes the egg to contract slightly in the shell.

No-mess method for filling eggs: Combine filling ingredients in 1-quart plastic food-storage bag. Press out air and seal bag. Press and roll bag with hand until mixture is well blended. Push filling toward bottom corner of bag. Snip off about 1/2-inch of corner. Squeeze filling from bag into egg whites.