Alicia Minshew didn’t want to quit her day job, but when All My Children ended last year, so did her gig as Kendall Hart. The 37-year-old actress took over the part of soap icon Erica Kane’s strong-willed daughter from Sarah Michelle Gellar in 2002. We caught up with Minshew— who spent the first years of her life in Plantation and Fort Lauderdale — while she was in town, about life after AMC.

What’s it like coming back home?

I live in L.A. now and lived in New York for 16 years — winters were brutal! — but Florida is still my home. I graduated from high school in Stuart and went to Indian River State College. I visit my aunt in Plantation, and it’s like, ‘Wow,’ when you go back to where you were born and the house where you grew up. I’m a warm weather girl, are you kidding me?

How did you nab the part on “AMC?’’

I did my first audition when I was 19, and didn’t get it, but the casting director kept calling me for different roles. Years later, it came up. The funny thing is I used to go to Sarah Michelle Gellar’s acting coach. Never would I have imagined I’d fill her shoes.

What happened to the plans to put the soap opera online?

Somehow it never happened. But I have to say I feel like it’s had its run. It ended in a good way, so leave it alone for now. I don’t want to see it ruined because it means so much to so many people. We all had closure, and we’re all moving on.

Do you miss going to work on the “Pine Valley’’ set every day?

Yes, and I feel bad for the fans who have been switching on the show forever. I miss that connection with them. But that seems to be what’s happening these days. Soaps are ending. It was by far the hardest schedule I’ve ever had. You wake up super early and get home really late. When you are home, you can’t relax because you have to memorize 20 to 40 pages of script for the next day. Your memory is a muscle. Your body gets used to it. My memory is pretty darn good right now.

Do you keep in touch with the cast?

Rebecca Budig is my best friend; we’re like family . Susan Lucci is the busiest woman I know. She just filmed roles for Army Wives and Hot in Cleveland and has a skincare line and a Pilates chair. I feel like she’s happy. And [ Dancing with the Stars winner] JR Martinez, well, it doesn’t get any better than him. He was always such a jokester with such great energy. We saw he could move at parties and stuff like that but wow, who knew he was such a good ballroom dancer? I’m so glad he won.

Your daughter Willow just turned 2. How is motherhood going?

It’s very rare that you have a moment to sit and breathe to yourself. It’s a challenging balancing act but so awesome at the same time. I’m so in love with my daughter. She’s a hoot. If I’m getting ready to go out on auditions, she watches me brush my teeth and put on lotion. She’s like my little pal. My husband [restaurateur Richie Herschenfeld] are very close to our siblings so we would love to have another baby, just not now. I can’t imagine starting over; we’re in such a good state.