Nancy Travis shares kitchen strategies

She tries to keep her TV family together and functional, and fortunately for the millions of viewers of the TBS hit comedy “The Bill Engvall Show,” Nancy Travis does it with humor and grace.

She made her feature-film debut in “Three Men and A Baby,” and additional film credits include “Internal Affairs,” “Air America,” “Three Men and a Little Lady” and “So I Married an Axe Murderer.”

On the small screen, Travis starred in “Becker” with Ted Danson, “Almost Perfect” and recently appeared in the television movie “The Party Never Stops: Diary of a Binge Drinker,” for which she was nominated for a PRISM Award.

Travis’ stage credits include “Boy Gets Girl” for director Randall Arney, and the classic “Three Sisters.” She is a founding member of the off-Broadway theater company Naked Angels. Travis resides in Los Angeles with her husband and two children. For more info: www.tbs.com.

On the show you’re a wife who simply has to try hard to keep the family together and functional. In real life, is your kitchen a refuge of calmness, or does it get crazy around mealtime?

“Let me start by saying I love to cook. Whether I have any skill in that area is debatable. I tend to overextend myself: making guacamole from scratch, a few other appetizers, marinating chicken and fish, always a salad, vegetables, an apple pie and more. I’m exhausted just talking about it. On days like this my kitchen is my temple. I love to be in it, but I don’t like distractions while I worship.”

Favorite snacks on the set? Any cast member with an offbeat eating habit or superstition?

“On set, I think the most important item for me is good coffee. I am easily seduced by fresh and hot Krispy Kreme donuts, and I have to recite a mantra ‘I will NOT have a donut today’ the whole way to work in my car. It rarely works. I like pretzels when I’m in between scenes. My co-star, Bill Engvall, is crazy for peanut butter M&M’s. We have no real superstitions, but we always do a group hug before a taping.”

You were born in New York, but grew up in Baltimore and Boston. Which food from each location remains a favorite?

“In Baltimore I was in elementary school. I ate plenty of Campbell’s chicken noodle soup. I do remember having Maryland Blue Crab, and that is a taste sensation you never forget. Burger King Whoppers on Friday nights were always exciting. In Boston, I fell in love with New England clam chowder. We ate at a place called Legal Seafood, and we were regulars at Friendly’s ice-cream parlor. In New York I was a struggling actress with limited funds, so I ate a lot of pizza and bacon/egg/cheese sandwiches from the local deli.”

Can you recall an “eating scene” from a famous movie or Broadway show that you wish you could have starred in?

“Two eating scenes which stand out in my mind are the scene in ‘Big Night’ where Stanley Tucci is making an omelet for Tony Shalhoub in the restaurant they own together. He put olive oil in the pan to make the omelet, and I was riveted by how he was ‘crafting’ this meal. Another scene was in the Lanford Wilson play ‘Burn This,’ with John Malkovich and Joan Allen. Malkovich spends an entire scene making tea. The process was so detailed and precise. It was like watching a master create a work of art.”

When you crave a snack in the middle of the night, is it sweet or salty?

“I definitely crave salty foods. Potato chips are my favorite. The real thing, not baked. I also love tortilla chips and pretzels. It takes almost the entire next day to de-bloat!”

IVORY COAST CURRY SOUP

2 leeks

1 tablespoon butter

2 cans cream of chicken soup

2 soup cans of water

1 tablespoon curry powder (more or less to taste)

1/2 cup slivered carrots

Clean leeks and slice. Saute leeks in butter until soft and set aside. Prepare soup according to can directions and bring to boil. Add leeks, curry powder and carrots. Cook for 5 minutes. Refrigerate overnight for best flavor. Reheat and serve.