Quick Launch folder on Desktop?

It then made many of my pinned items on my regular taskbar (not TLB) non functional (white blank icons, and clicking does not find the program).

Looks like something wrong with you Windows. Usually the quick launch folder is located here:
C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch
All pinned on the taskbar items are in this folder too. Please check if this folder is exists. Maybe you have to create this folder and restart.

It seems like somehow the install (or uninstall, which I did once) of TLB messed up my Quick Launch folder location

No, TLB can't move Quick Launch folder location. Also it is interesting, where TLB store shortcuts? Are they inside the Quick Launch folder on the desktop?