Figured it out (much praise to @Nanaki)
Recalbox wiki guide: https://wiki.recalbox.com/en/advanced-usage/systems-display#add-a-custom-system
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Use your PC with PuTTY installed to SSH over your network into Recalbox while its up and running. (if you dont know how to use commands in the prompt window follow this easy guide, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVquJh3DXUA)
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Use PuTTY command prompt to get to /recalbox/share_init/system/.emulationstation/
where the systemlist.xml is located. Copy that file to /recalbox/share/system/.emulationstation/ .
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I would then recommend using Linux Mint to access the file system.(You can do it many other ways) Go to /recalbox/share/system/.emulationstation/ where systemlist.xml is located. ( you will need to make sure and show hidden files and probably open it as root folder by right clicking in the folder. Make a backup of the file in the same location.
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Follow these instructions from Recalbox Wiki
Add a custom system
You must NOT MODIFY the original systemlist.xml file (which is in the share_init directory). If there are any problems with the changes you make later, this file is the only source to make Recalbox work properly.
This manipulation does not add a new emulator to Recalbox but adds a new system entry to the selection menu.
It is possible to combine the modification of the system order with the addition of one or more custom systems.
As with changing the system order, adding a custom system must be done only from the systemlist.xml file in the following directory /recalbox/share/system/.emulationstation/systemlist.xml.
Originally, this file does not exist. You must either copy the original file or create a new file. Once the new file is created, it is now possible to add a new system to it.
If, in the new file, a system is incorrectly filled in, priority is given to the original file. For the new file, all the input keys are mandatory. So, to create a new system, the easiest way is to start from an existing system (and corresponding to the roms you want to include) and to modify only what is strictly necessary:
"fullname" : Allows to give the name of the new system.
"path" : Allows to indicate the directory containing the roms of the new system.
"theme" : Allows you to indicate which theme to use. It is necessary, beforehand, to create this new theme (logo, background, ...)
All the other entries must not be modified.
Here is an example of an addition for a system based on the SNES to include only translated roms:
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<systemList>
<system uuid="21b8873a-a93e-409c-ad0c-8bb6d682bef8" name="snes" fullname="Super Nintendo Fan Trad" platform="snes">
<descriptor path="%ROOT%/snestrad" theme="snestrad" extensions=".smc .sfc .mgd .zip .7z" icon="$0"/>
<scraper screenscraper=""/>
<properties type="console" pad="mandatory" keyboard="no" mouse="optional" lightgun="optional" releasedate="1990-11" retroachievements="1"/>
<emulatorList>
<emulator name="libretro">
<core>snes9x2005</core>
<core>snes9x2010</core>
<core>snes9x2002</core>
</emulator>
</emulatorList>
</system>
</systemList>
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Add a file to the Themes folder and name it the same as the system. Copy over the _inc file and system.xml file from another theme folder. Add your own artwork to the _inc file labeled the same way.
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Add a file to the roms folder with the same name as your system. Be sure to add the image folder and media folders as well with the corresponding artwork labeled exactly the same as the rom file.
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Fire up Recalbox and scrape your system and it will also make a gamelist.
Should be good to go.