Heat oven to 450 degrees F.
Sift flour, baking powder, salt, pepper and garlic powder into bowl. Cut in shortening with pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in cheeses and jalapeno.
Add milk; stir lightly to form soft dough. Turn out onto lightly floured surface; knead 20 times.
Roll or pat dough to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut into 2-inch rounds. Gather scraps together; reroll and cut. Place biscuits, 1 inch apart, on ungreased baking sheet.
Bake in 450 degree F oven 12 minutes, until golden brown. (Can be made morning of dinner. To serve, reheat on baking sheet in 250 degree F oven.) Makes 18 biscuits.
