Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes - Serving Dumplings

Ingredients

• 3 pounds starchy potatoes
• 1 tbsp + 1 tsp salt (divided)
• ¼ tsp each: black pepper
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• ⅛ tsp grated nutmeg
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter (at room temperature)
• 8 ounces full fat cream cheese, at room temperature
• ½ cup whole milk (at room temperature)
• additional melted butter (optional)
• chopped chives (or parsley)
• freshly grated black pepper