\n<\/p>\n
A bag of chips running low, an empty jelly jar, and a bottle of barbecue sauce. That\u2019s all it took for Jeff Daniels<\/strong> to accidentally invent the sandwich that has grocery stores scrambling to restock their shelves.<\/span><\/p>\n The actor\u2019s wild creation \u2014 a pita layered with creamy peanut butter, crushed Ruffles Cheddar & Sour Cream chips, and barbecue sauce \u2014 went viral after he dropped the recipe on national television.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n And people everywhere have been racing to their kitchens to try it.<\/span><\/p>\n Daniels unveiled his go-to sandwich during an appearance on \u201c<\/span>The Late Show with Stephen Colbert<\/span><\/a>\u201d on Feb. 19.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The moment came during \u201cThe Colbert Questionert,\u201d a recurring rapid-fire segment, when Colbert hit him with what seemed like a softball: \u201cWhat is the best sandwich?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n The answer left Colbert and his audience completely baffled.<\/span><\/p>\n Daniels rattled off his \u201cpersonal favorite\u201d: circular pita bread (without an air pocket), a quarter-inch layer of creamy peanut butter on half of it, crushed Ruffles Cheddar & Sour Cream chips, and a layer of your favorite brand of barbecue sauce.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n With the ingredients intact, all that\u2019s left is to fold it over and eat it.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt could be my three favorite tastes,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s like visiting three countries at once. And they\u2019re all in your mouth.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s fun to eat in front of other people, too,\u201d he joked.<\/span><\/p>\n The sandwich wasn\u2019t some calculated experiment. Daniels was home one day and wanted to make himself a PB&J with a piece of pita bread. He only had crumbs of chips at the bottom of the Ruffles bag, so those joined.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n When he opened the refrigerator, he realized he was out of jelly. So he chose BBQ sauce instead.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI squirted the smoky syrup over the peanut butter and chips, folded over the pita, and took a bite. I loved it so much, I offered to make it for the family,\u201d he said in an interview with <\/span>The Detroit News<\/span><\/i><\/a>, published March 2.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThey promptly ordered pizza,\u201d he joked.<\/span><\/p>\n That kind of cobble-it-together cooking \u2014 making something from whatever\u2019s left in the pantry \u2014 is how plenty of the best kitchen discoveries happen.<\/span><\/p>\n Here\u2019s the full breakdown, based on Daniels\u2019 own description:<\/span><\/p>\n The bread is circular pita, the kind without an air pocket. This is the sturdy, foldable variety \u2014 not the type that splits open into two halves for stuffing. It works as a flexible, neutral base that lets the fillings do the talking.<\/span><\/p>\n The peanut butter goes on next: a quarter-inch layer of creamy, spread over half of the pita.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Daniels has a longtime affinity for Jif. He told <\/span>The Detroit News<\/span><\/i> in an email, \u201cAs a kid, I believed Jif peanut butter was named after me.\u201d He doesn\u2019t mandate a brand, though.<\/span><\/p>\n Then come the chips: crushed Ruffles Cheddar & Sour Cream potato chips.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhenever I open a bag of Ruffles Cheddar & Sour Cream potato chips, I tend to eat more than just one,\u201d Daniels added in his interview with the outlet. The ridged texture and bold seasoning bring crunch and tangy savoriness.<\/span><\/p>\n Last, a layer of your favorite barbecue sauce. Daniels has a personal go-to: Sweet Baby Ray\u2019s. He accidentally referred to it as \u201cSweet Baby James\u201d during his Colbert interview.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI always thought if it was good enough for James Taylor to write a song about it, it was good enough for me. I have since learned to finish reading labels,\u201d he continued in his email to <\/span>The Detroit News<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n Fold the pita over. Eat. No toasting, no melting, no complicated technique.<\/span><\/p>\n In the two weeks after the clip aired, people across the country rushed to their pantries to throw this sandwich together. Many took to social media with their reactions. Some loved it. Others didn\u2019t have the palate for it.<\/span><\/p>\n The response grew large enough that grocery stores reportedly felt the impact. If you were wondering why your local store was running low on peanut butter, Ruffles, and BBQ sauce \u2014 this is why.<\/span><\/p>\n And if you\u2019re still skeptical about whether this combination actually works, there\u2019s a credentialed voice backing it up.<\/span><\/p>\n Today <\/span><\/i>author and registered dietitian <\/span>Heather Martin<\/b> \u201claughed out loud with the first bite\u201d before describing it as \u201cfinger-licking good<\/a>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n That\u2019s genuine, visceral enjoyment from someone who evaluates food professionally. Not a polite nod \u2014 a real reaction.<\/span><\/p>\n In his interview with <\/span>The Detroit News, <\/span><\/i>Daniels revealed he was just as baffled by the response as people were about his favorite sandwich.<\/span><\/p>\nA Late-Night Interview Turned Into a Food Phenomenon\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n
The Accidental Kitchen Origin Story<\/h2>\n
Everything You Need to Recreate It Yourself<\/h2>\n
The Internet Does What It Does Best<\/h2>\n