Chili

So I made chili con carne two days ago and it came out well.  I payed more attention than usual, since I thought I might put the recipe on the blog, and i realized how little I go by recipes.  I usually just take things I know taste good together, in proportions that experience has told me are good, and make it up.  As near as I can remember, my recipe went something like this:
Brown a couple pounds of ground beef.  I used about an 80/20 ground beef, but 85/15 would have been better.  After it is just browned, drain and add a whole large chopped onion and a whole large chopped bell pepper (cleaned of course).  I also put in a giant toe of elephant garlic, but three regulars pieces of regular garlic would have been fine. Sprinkle with a few tablespoons of cumin and an couple tablespoons of chili powder, adjusting for preference. 4 and 2 made a fairly mild chili. Once things have cooked a while, add a very large can of chopped stewed tomatoes.  Then  a can of tomato paste.  Then a couple bay leaves (which I never would have added except remembering that Marion Fitzgerald used to make great chili for us when we were teens and she added them).  I sprinkled in thyme.  Between the spices and the onions, which were sweet, the chili was just a touch sweet, which was too much counterbalance for the tomato acid, so I looked around and found a can of V8, which, when I added it, made it perfect.  I let it simmer for a couple hours and ate two bowls.  It was all, predictably enough, even better the next day.