Squash is very tasty. I add some Morton's salt substitute, and a little butter. A very little.

She may have salted it, to bring out the flavor, etc. You may not have cooked it enough. Also when you add water, it may dilute the flavor compared to baking it, which you don't need to do any liquids etc. Baked it is just fabulous!

The different squashes have different tastes. The butternut is the most flavorful. The acorn is rather bland IMO. And so is the spagetti one...which needs alot of additions to taste good IMO.

I prefer the butternut myself. I love squash...and there are stories from my babyhood in the family that it was my favorite when they put me on solids!

I cook it whole like I said before, and do not add liquids to it. When I add the cubes to beef soup and stews I cook it with some curry powder. It absorbs alot of flavors including red wine in that way along with the curry.