IE lost from taskbar

My icon for IE has disappeared from my "taskbar" at the bottom of my computer screen. I cannot find it anywhere. My Spousal Unit was on the computer last night when I was gone and when I came home this morning I was informed that all his "favorites" were nowhere to be found, along with the icon. I do not see it in my "all programs" list on the computer. I have a feeling HE obliterated it somehow and now *I* am expected to find and resurrect it. Can anyone help???

Now, please, I do NOT need anyone to harange on me about how crappy IE is...that is where the SU always "found" whatever he was looking for. I have been using Chrome for quite awhile, but haven't been able to switch him over. I am not impressed with Firefox, so please do not try and shove me in that direction, which would not help me with the current situation.

I DO have something that I saved quite some time ago that has the IE icon on it on my desktop. If I click on it and open it, I've found that all the saved "favorites" are there too. 'Tis a puzzlement............

It is not in the recycle bin either. I would just like to be able to put the icon for IE back in the taskbar so the SU can find "his stuff" again and I do not have to listen to him go on and on about how all his favorites are "gone" (which they are not, if he would click on that icon on the desktop, but I'm sure that will be more than he wants to do...........he abhors change).