A good recipe for the holidays and beyond

I made this mashed potato recipe for two pot luck suppers this week--Calvary Chapel's Fellowship Dinner on Wednesday and then the library's holiday staff meal yesterday. They vanished in 20 minutes yesterday, so I almost didn't even get a bite! We had some leftovers on Wednesday, though, and so I left them for S's mom and grandmother. Apparently, I scored some huge brownie points for them, according to S, as I've said many times that I "don't cook." It's not that I don't know how, it's that I choose not to. When I do, though, watch out...

A bunch of people at work asked for the recipe here, so I typed it up and thought I'd share it on the good old blog for anyone who wants to try. Good as a side dish or all on its own, and they don't need gravy. I think the original was printed in a magazine. The recipe could be halved fairly easily, but it holds up quite well as leftovers, so it's not really necessary.

Mashed Potatoes with Chives (a.k.a. "Magical Potatoes" or some other such fantastic name)

5 pounds potatoes
1 large onion (can be omitted, but adds more flavor)
1 cup half and half
1 cup butter (two sticks) softened or melted
1 8 oz. tub of whipped cream cheese (w/chives or without, your choice, should be near the regular cream cheese in the grocery store)
2 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. nutmeg
4 tbsp. chives (dried or fresh) (optional if already using cream cheese with chives for more chive flavor)
1 bag sliced almonds for top

Preheat oven to 350F. Peel potatoes and onion. Boil until cooked (if potatoes are cut up, about 20 minutes). Mash using electric mixer in large bowl (so much easier than a masher). Mix in butter, cream cheese, half and half, and all spices. Spread into a greased 9x13 pan or two small pans (potatoes will puff up slightly). Bake for 30 minutes. Garnish top of potatoes with enough almonds to cover, or to taste--we like more for more crunch). Bake another 15 minutes (almonds will brown). Let stand 5 minutes or so. Enjoy!