Assets of cooking

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour $
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 3 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces $
• 3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded reduced-fat extra-sharp cheddar cheese $
• 3/4 cup finely chopped 33%-less-sodium ham (about 3 ounces)
• 3/4 cup fat-free buttermilk
• 2 large egg whites $
• Cooking spray

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl; cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in cheese and ham. Combine buttermilk and egg whites, stirring with a whisk. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist.
3. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead lightly 4 to 5 times with floured hands. Pat dough into an 8-inch circle on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Cut dough into 8 wedges, cutting into but not through dough. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until lightly browned.